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George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL  FLOWERS 


PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Uuke   University 


Kare  Dooks 


A  MEMOIR 


cvjivnvaTiox  o¥  the  \l^•E 

AND  THE 

BEST  MODE  OF  MAKING  WINE. 


BY    JOHN    ADLUM. 


Vine  is  as  good   as  life  to  a  man,  if  it  be  ilrunk  moderately  j  what  i»  life 
ihen  to  a  man  that  is  without  wine  >  for  it  was  made  to  make  men  glaM. 
"  Wine  measurably  drank,  and  in  seasoo.  briogeib  gladness  of  the  heart, 
and  chcerfulnenof  the  miod," 

ECCLESIASTICCS,  c.  3l,  v.  27,  28. 


WASHINGTON : 

i'RlXTED    BY    PAVIS    AJS'D    FORCE,    (fRANKLIN'S    HEAD,) 
PE-NNSYLVANIA  AVENUE. 


7^ 


DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA,  to  wit  : 

Be  it  remembered,  That  on  the  first  flay  of  March,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty- 
three,  and  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America 
the  forty-seventh,  John  Adlum,  of  the  said  District,  hath  deposit- 
ed in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  tlie  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  the  title  of  a  book,  the  riglit  whereof  he  claims 
as  Author  and  Proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit : 

*'  A  Memoir  on  the  CulUvalion  of  the  Vine  in  America,  and 
the  Best  Mode  of  Making  TVine.     By  John  Jldlum. 

"  Wine  i?  a?  good  as  life  ,lo  msn,  if  it  he  (Itunk  inoJeiatelv  ;  wh»t  is  life  then 
to  a  mau  ihat  i»  wi(bi  iit  Wine  >  lor  it  wst.  tiiade  lo  make  men  gluii. 
"  Wine  niensurably  Jrank,   and  in  Hciison.  lirinceih  g:Udhe*s  to  the  bearf, 
aud  oheerfuiness  of  ihe  inioJ  "       Ki  clesiasiicn-,  c.  Jl,  v.  27,  2a. 

In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
entitled  "  An  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing 
the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  Autliors  and  Pro- 
prietors ol  such  copies,  duiing  the  times  therein  menticed  ;" 
and  also  to  the  Act,  entitled  "An  Act  supplementary  to  an  Act, 
entitled  '  An  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing 
the  copies  of  Majjs,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  Authors  and  Pro- 
prietors of  such  copies  during  the  limes  therein  niL'ntioned,'  and 
extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving, 
and  etching,  historical  and  other  prints," 

(.        -■  In  tkstimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand, 
'  "    ■■'      and  affixed  the  public  seal  of  my  office,  the  day  and  year 
aforesaid. 

EDM.  I.  LEE, 
Clerk  of  the  District  Court  fur  ihe  District  of  Columbia 


t 

RZK'- 
A2-37F^ 


TIEIETACE. 


The  follotoing  Utile  Work  has  been  prepared  for 
ihe  purpose  of  diffusing  some  practical  and  useful 
information  throughout  the  country,  on  the  best  me- 
thod of  cultivating  the  native  Grape,  arid  of  making 
Wine,  The  writer  has,  for  a  number  of  years,  de- 
voted his  time  and  attention  to  this  highly  inter- 
esting subject  ;  and,  he  flatters  himself,  he  will 
be  enabled,  from  his  long  experience,  and  the  nu- 
merous experiments  he  has  made,  to  throw  out 
some  new  and  additional  lights,  to  those  zoho  wish 
to  understand  this  valuable,  but  too  much  neglected, 
branch  of  Agriculture.  Its  importance  and  utility 
must  be  obvious  to  every  one  who  gives  the  least  re- 
flection to  the  subject.  Almost  every  species  of  Grape 
to  be  found  in  our  widely  extended  country,  is  ca- 
pable, by  proper  cultivation,  pf  yielding  a  Wine  su- 
perior to  the  best  Cyder,  as  a  jvholesome  beverage^ 
and  equal  to  most  imported  Wines.  These,  however, 
from  the  progress  of  improvement,  and  the  rapid 
increase  of  population,  are  diminishing  daily,  and 
will.fnaliy,  if  not  uttendtd  to  in  time,  become  alto- 
gether extinct.  It  was  io prevent  this  evil,  (as  far  as  I 
could  be  instrumental  in  preventing  it,)  that  Izoished 
to  uhtainoftht  President  of  the  United  States,  a  few 
years  ago,  a  lease  of  a  portion  of  the  public  ground 
in  the  City,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  Vineyard, 


4 

and  of  cultivating  an  experimental  farm.  It  ajcts 
mi/  intention,  had  I  been  succesfuL  to  procure  cut- 
tings of  the  different  species  of  the  native  Vine,  to  be 
found  in  the  United  Stales,  to  ascertain  their  growth, 
soil,  and  produce,  and  to  exhibit  to  the  J^l'ation,  a  netu 
source  of  wealth,  zvhich  had  been  too  long  neglected. 
My  application  was,  however,  rejected,  and  I  have 
been  obliged  to. prosecute  the  undertaking  myself 
without  assistance  and  without  patronage,  and jhis 
I  have  done  to  the  full  extent  of  my  very  limited 
means.  A  desire  to  be  usejul  to  my  countrymen, 
has  animated  all  my  efforts,  and  given  a  stimulus 
to  all  my  exertions.  It  is  this  desire,  in  connexion 
with  a  wish  to  satisfy  the  numerous  enquiries  that 
have  been  made  on  (his  subject,  that  I  have  been  led 
to  undertake  the  present  work,  which,  I  hope,  will  in- 
duce others  to  follow  my  example  in  cultivating  the 
Vine,  and  be  the  means  of  spreading  a  knoioledge  of 
the  subject  among  my  fellow-citizens.  As  I  am  ad- 
vancing in  years,  and  know  not  when  I  may  be  called 
hence,  I  am  solicitous  that  the  information  I  have 
acquired  should  not  die  with  me.  It  xoill  be  proper 
to  slate,  that  on  the  cultivation  of  the  Vine,  I  have 
made  several  extracts  from  Miller^s  Dictionary  ;  but 
with  such  alterations,  as  will  suit  our  practice  and 
climate.  From  Forsythe,  I  have  also  taken  and  have 
subjoined  my  own  practice — and  from  some  valuable 
essays, published  in  the  Intelligencer,  and  supposed  to 
hi  written  by  Tench  Coxe,  Esq.  of  Philadelphia,  on 


the  value  of  the  Vineyard,  and  crops  of  Wine  in 
France,  and  the  manner  of  making  Hint,  ^c.  in 
Sjjain,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  extract  largely^ 
and  have  added  my  own  experience  for  the  greater 
henefit  of  those  who  feel  disposed  to  cultivate  the 
Grape  in  this  country. 

For  the  method  of  making  Wine,  I  am  indebted  to 
J\rCulloch  of  England,  fur  many  valuable  hints,  and 
much  ustfut  information.  He  has  thrown  more  light 
upon  this  branch  of  the  subject  than  any  author  I  have 
read,  and  from  him  I  have  taken  several  extracts^ 
under  the  impression  that  their  diffusion  would  be 
highly  useful  to  the  citizens  of  this  country,  as  far 
north,  as  the  Grape  may  be  found  to  grow  naturally. 
If,  however,  it  should  be  discovered  that  the  climate 
is  too  cold  to  enablt  the  best  kind  of  Grapes  to  ripen^ 
a  Wine  may  be  manufactured  from  the  unripe  or  im- 
mature Grape,  with  the  addition  of  sugar,  resem- 
bling the  Champaign,  and  which,  in  my  opiniotf^ 
will  be  found  as  palatable,  and  much  more  whole- 
some, than  most  of  wretched  stuff,  sold  under  the 
names  of  Champaign  and  Claret. 

JOHN  ADLUM. 


,:m 


THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE  VINE. 


TO  PROPAGATE  VINES  FROM  SEEDS. 

When  Vines  are  to  be  raised  from  seeds,  they 
should  be  sowed  the  latter  end  of  February,  or 
beginning  of  March,  or  they  may  be  sowed  as  late 
as  the  middle  of  April  ;  but  the  earlier  the  belter, 
in  rows,  in  borders,  or  in  beds.  Sow  the  seed  thin 
in  rich,  light  earth,  (well  spaded  and  raked,)  about 
an  inch  deep,  and  if  the  weather  is  dry,  water 
them  occasionally,  and  when  the  seeds  begin  to 
vegetate,  the  plants  should  be  watered  in  the  even- 
ings in  dry  weather.  When  the  plants  are  six 
inches  high,  they  should  be  carefully  tied  to  rods, 
leaving  only  one  stem-  the  first  year;  the  rods 
should  be  nearly  as  high  as  the  Vines  are  likely 
to  grow  the  first  season.  When  the  leaves  begin 
to  drop,  pull  off  all  as  they  turn  yellow,  so  that  the 
wood  may  ripen  well. 

About  the  latter  end  of  March,  the  next  season, 
they  may  be  planted  out  where  they  are  intend- 
ed to  remain,  and  they  should  be  cut  off  to  the 


8 

third  eye,  if  very  strong,  but  only  to  the  second, 
if  weak  f  rubbihg  off  the  lower  bud  wiili  the  tiriger 
and  thunrib.  And  afterwards,  they  are  to  be  man- 
aged as  the  cuttings  that  are  planted  in  the  Vine- 
yard. But  it  is  to  be  observfd,  that  the  Vines 
propagated  from  seed,  do  not  all  bear  fruit,  pro- 
bably not  more  than  the  half  of  them  ;  therefore 
if  they  are  strong  growing  Vines,  I  would  advise 
to  engraft  all  the  barren  ouess. 


PROPAGATION  AND  CULTURE  OF  GRAPES 
FOR  THE  TABLE. 

All  sorts  of  Grapes  are  propagated  either  from 
seeds,  layers,  or  cuttings.  The  latter  is  what  I 
would  recommend  as  being  much  preferable  to 
the  others  ;  for  the  roots  of  Vines  do  not  grow 
strong  and  woody,  as  in  most  sorts  of  trees,  but 
are  long,  slender  and  pliable  ;  therefore  when  they 
are  taken  out  of  the  groutid,  they  seldom  strike 
out  any  tibres  from  their  weak  roots,  which  gene- 
rally shrivel  and  dry  ;  so  that  they  rather  retard 
than  help  the  plants  in  their  growth,  by  prevent- 
ing the  new  fibres  from  pushing  out ;  for  which 
reason  1  had  rather  plant  a  good  cutting  than  a 
rooted  plant,  provided  it  be  well  chosen,  and  there 
is  little  danger  of  its  not  growing. 

But  as  there  are  few  persons  who  make  choice 


i 


9 


of  proper  cuttings,  or  at  least  that  form  their  cut- 
tings rightl)-,  so  it  will  be  proper  to  give  direc- 
tions for  this  in  the  tirst  place,  before  1  proceed. 
You  should  always  make  choice  of  such  shoots  as 
are  strong,  with  short  joints,  and  well  ripened  of 
the  last  year's  growth  ;  which  sJiould  be  pruned 
smooth;  then  you  should  cut  ofl' the -upper  part 

■  of  the  shoots,  so  as  to  leave  the  cutting  about  six- 
teen inches  long. 

When  the  cuttings  are  thu^  prepared,  if  they 
are  not  then  planted,  they  should  be'  placed  with 
thfilr  lower  part  in  the  ground  in  a  dry  soil,  lay- 
ing some  litter  on  their  upper  parts,  to  prevent 
them  from  drying  :  in  this  situotion  they  may  re- 
main until  the  middle  of  March,  or  beginning  of 
April,  when  you  should  take  them  out,  and  wash 
from  them  the  filth  they  have  contracted  ;  and  if 

.  you  find  them  very  dry,  you  should  let  them  stand 
with  their  lower  parts  in  the  water  six  or  eight 
hours,*  which  will  distend  their  vessels,  and  dis- 
pose them  for  taking  root.  Then  the  ground  be- 
ing before  prepared  where  the  plants  are  design- 
ed to  remain  (whether  against  walls  or  standards, 
for  it  is  best  not  to  remove  them  again)  the  cut- 

'  tiiigs  should   be   planted  ;  but  in  preparing  the 

ground,  you  should  consider  the  nature  of  the 

soil,  which,  if  strong  and  inclinable  to  wet,  is  by 

*  Mr.  M'Mahon  in  his  book  on  gardening,  recommends  cow- 
dung  to  be  mixed  with  the  water.  .  J.  A> 


10 


no  means  proper  for  Grapes  :  therefore,  where  it 
so  happens,  jou  should  open  the  trench  where  the 
cuttings  are  to  be  planted,  which  should  be  filled 
with  lime,  rubbishy  brick-bats,  or  stones,  the  bet- 
ter to  drain  off  the  moisture  :  then  raise  the  bor- 
der with  fresh  light  earth  about  two  feet  thick,  so 
that  it  may  be  at  least  a  foot  above  the  level  of 
the  ground  ;  then  you  should  open  the  holes  at 
six  feet  distance  from  each  other,  putting  one 
good  strong  cutting  in  each  hole,  which  should  be 
laid  a  little  sloping,  that  their  top  may  incline  from 
the  sun,  but  it  must  be  put  in  so  deep,  as  that  the 
uppermost  eye  may  be  level  with  the  surface  of  the 
ground  ;  for  when  any  part  of  tlie  cutting  is  left 
above  ground,  as  is  the  common  method  used  by 
the  English  gardeners,  most  of  the  buds  attempt 
to  shoot ;  so  that  the  strength  of  the  cuttings  are 
divided  to  nourish  so  many  shoots,  which  must  be 
consequently  weaker  than  if  only  one  of  them  grew; 
whereas,  on  the  contrary,  by  burying  the  whole 
cutting  in  the  ground,  the  sap  is  all  employed  on 
one  single  shoot,  which  consequently  will  be 
much  stronger  ;  besides  the  sun  and  air  are  apt 
to  dry  that  part  of  the  cutting  which  remains 
above  ground,  and  so  often  prevents  their  buds 
from  shooting. 

Then,  having  placed  the  cuttings  in  the  ground, 
you  should  till  up  the  hole  gently,  pressing  down 
the  earth  with  your  foot  close  about  it,  and  raisf 


11 


a  hltle  bill  just  upon  the  top  of  the  cutting,  to 
cover  the  upper  eye  quite  over,  which  will  pre- 
vent it  from  drying  ;  this  being  done,  there  is  no- 
thing more  necessary,  but  to  keep  the  ground  clear 
from  weeds  until  the  cuttings  begin  to  shoot ;  at 
which  time  you  should  look  over  them  carefully 
to  rub  otr  any  small  shoots,  if  such  are  produced, 
fastening  only  the  first  main  shoot  to  the  wall, 
stake,  &ic.  as  may  be,  which  should  be  constatilly 
trained  up,  as  it  is  extended  in  length,  to  prevent 
its  breaking  or  hanging  down  :  you  must  continue 
to  lot)k  over  these  once  in  about  three  weeks 
during  the  summer  season,  constantly  rubbing  off 
all  lateral  shoots  whichare  produced,  leaving  only 
the  first  main  shoot;  and  be  sure  to  keep  the 
ground  constantly  clear  from  weeds,  which,  if  suf- 
fered to  grow,  will  exhaust  the  goodness  of  the 
ioil,  and  starve  the  cuttings. 

The  Michaelmas  following,*  if  your  cuttings 
have  produced  strong  shoots,  you  should  prune 
them  down  to  two  eyes,  (first  rubbing  off  the  low- 
er one)  whicli  by  some  people  may  be  thought  too 
short,  yet  1  am  satislied  from  several  experiments, 
to  be  the  best  method.  The  reason  for  advising 
the  pruning,  at  this  season,  rather  than  deferring  till 
spring  is,  because  tlie  te.'ider  paits  of  those  youn^^ 

*  Miihaejiiias  is  on  tlie  ^9th  of  Spplcjiibor.  In  tliis  climate  I 
tliir.k  it  would  be  best  to  dtlcr  priiDiJ  ;;  a  week  or  ifn  days  lon- 
ger. /.  A. 


12 


shoots,  if  left  on,  are  subject  to  decay  in  winter, 
or  they  are  apt  to  grow  late  in  the  year,  so  the 
tops  of  their  shoots  are  tender,  and  the  early  frosts 
will  pinch  them,  and  then  they  frequently  are  kill- 
ed down  a  considerable  length,  which  weakens 
their  roots  ;*  but  if  they  are  cut  off  early  in  au- 
tumn, the  wounds  will  heal  over  before  the  bad 
weather,  and  thereby  the  roots  will  be  greatly 
strengthened. 

In  the  spring,  after  the  cold  weather  is  past,  you 
must  gently  dig  up  the  borders  to  loosen  the  earth  ; 
but  you  must  be  very  careful  in  doing  this,  not  to 
injure  the  roots  of  the  Vines;  you  should  also 
raise  the  earth  up  to  the  stems  of  the  plants,  so  as 
to  cover  the  old  wood,  but  not  so  deep  as  to  cover 
either  of  the  eyes  of  the  last  year's  wood.  After 
this  they  will  require  no  further  care  until  they 
begin  to  shoot,  when  you  should  look  over  them 
carefully,  to  rub  off  all  weak,  dangling  shoots, 
leaving  no  more  than  two,  which  are  produced 
from  the  eyes  of  last  year's  wood,  which  should 
be  fastened  to  the  wall,  stake,  &c.  and  from  this 
time  until  the  Vines  have  done  shooting,  you 
should  look  them  over  once  in  three  weeks  or  a 
month,  to  rub  off  all  the  lateral  shoots  as  they  are 
produced,  and  to  fasten  up  the  main  shoots  as 
they  are  extended  in  length,  which  must  not  be 

*  Mr.  Forsythe  is  opposed  to  pruning  in  Autumn,  and  recom- 
mends the  month  of  February.  J.  A. 


13 


shortened  before  the  middle  or  latter  end  of  July/ 
when  it  will  be  proper  to  nip  off  their  tops,  which 
will  strengthen  the  lower  eyes ;  and  during  the 
summer  season,  you  must  constantly  keep  the 
ground  clear  from  weeds,  nor  should  you  permit 
any  sorts  of  plants  to  grow  near  the  Vines,  which 
would  not  only  rob  them  of  nourishment,  but  shade 
the  lower  part  of  the  shoots,  and  thereby  prevent 
their  ripening,  which  will  not  only  cause  the 
wood  to  be  spongy  and  luxuriant,  but  render  it 
less  fruitful. 

As  soon  as  the  leaves  begin  to  drop  in  the  au- 
tunin,  you  should  prune  these  young  Vines  again, 
leaving  three  buds  to  each  of  .the  shoots  (always 
bearing  in  mind  to  rub  off  the  lower  one)  provid- 
ed they  are  strong,  otherwise  it  is  better  to  shorten 
them  down  to  two  eyes  if  they  are  good  ;  for  it  is 
a  very  wrong  practice  to  leave  much  wood  upon 
young  Vines,  or  to  leave  their  shoots  too  long, 
which  greatly  weakens  the  roots  ;  then  you  should 
fasten  them  up  to  the  wall,  stakes,  &ic.  spreadmg 
them  out  horizontally  each  way,  that  there  may 
be  room  to  train  the  new  shoots  the  following 
summer,  and  in  the  spring  dig  the  borders  as  be- 
fore. 

*  In  our  climate  it  will  not  answer  to  shorten  the  Vines  in 
July,  Hs  it  will  cause  them  to  throw  out  new  shoots  from  the  eyes 
that  are  to  bear  fruit  the  next  year.  It  is  therefore  best  to  let 
them  grow  to  full  length.  J.  A. 


14 


The  third  season  you  must  go  over  the  Vines 
again  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  shoot,  to  rub  otf  all 
danglers  as  before,  and  trairi  their  strong  shoots  in 
their  proper  places,  which  this  year  may  be  sup- 
posed to  be  two  from  each  shoot  of  the  last  year's 
wood  ;  but  if  they  attempt  to  produce  tw^o  shoots 
from  one  eye,  the  weakest  of  them  must  be  rub- 
bed off,*  for  there  should  never  be  more  than  one 
allowed  to  come  out  of  each  eye.  If  any  of  them 
produce  fruit,  as  many  times  they  will  the  third 
year,  you  should  not  stop  them  so  soon  as  is  gene- 
rally practised  upon  the  bearing  shoots  of  the  old 
Vines,  but  permit  them  to  shoot  forward  till  a 
month  after  mid-summer,  at  which  time  you  may 
pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots  ;  for  if  they  were 
done  too  soon,  it  would  spoil  the  buds  for  next 
year's  wood,  which  in  young  Vines  must  be  more 
carefully  preserved  than  on  older  plants,  because 
there  are  no  other  shoots  to  be  laid  in  for  a  sup- 
ply of  wood,  as  is  commonly  practised  on  old 
Vines. 

During  the  summer,  you  must  constantly  go  over 
your  Vines,  and  displace  all  weak  lateral  shoots 
as  they  are  produced,  and  carefully  keep  the 
ground  clear  from  weeds,  as  was  before  directed, 
that  the  shoots  may  ripen  well ;  which  is  a  mate- 
rial thing  to  be  observed  in  most  sorts  of  fruit  trees, 

*  There  is  frequently  two  shoots  from  one  bud,  the  lower  one 
which  is  always  the  weakest,  should  be  rubbed  oflf.         J.  A. 


15 


but  especially  Vines,  which  seldom  produce  any 
fruit  from  immature  branches.  These  things  be- 
ing duly  observed,  are  all  that  is  necessary  in  the 
management  of  young  Vine's  ;  1  shall  therefore 
proceed  to  lay  down  rub  s  for  the  government  of 
grown  Vines,  which  1  shall  do  as  briefly  as  possible: 
and, 

First.  Vines  rarely  produce  any  bearing  shoots 
from  wood  that  is  more  ihau  a  year  old,  therefore 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  have  such  wood  in 
every  part  of  the  Vine  ;  for  the  fruit  is  always 
produced  from  the  shoots  of  the  same  year,  which 
come  out  from  the  buds  of  the  last  year's  wood. 
The  method  commonly  practised  is,  to  shorten 
the  branrhes  of  the  last  year's  growth,  down  to 
three  or  four  eyes,  at  the  time  of  pruning  ;  though 
there  are  some  persons  who  leave  these  shoots 
much  longer,  and  aflirm  b}  this  practice  the}^  ob- 
tain a  greater  quantity  of  fruit;  but  however  this 
may  be,  it  is  a  very  wrong  practice,  since  it  is  im- 
poi-sible  that  one  shoot  can  nourish  forty  or  fifty 
bunches  of  Grapes,  so  well  as  it  can  ten  or  twelve  ; 
so  that  what  is  gotten  in  number,  is  lost  in  their 
magnitude  ;  besides  the  greater  quantity  of  fruit 
there  is  left  on  the  Vines,  the  later  they  are  ripen- 
ed, and  their  juice  is  not  so  rich  ;  and  this  is  well 
known  in  the  Wine  countries,  where  there  are 
laws  enacted  to  direct  the  number  and  length  of 
shoots  that  are  to  be  left  upon  each  Vine,  lest  by 


lb 


over  bearing  therri,  they  not  only  exhaust  and 
weaken  the  roots,  but  thereby  render  the  juice 
weak,  and  so  destroy  the  reputation  of  the  Wine. 

Wherefore,  the  best  nnethod  is  to  shorten  the 
bearing  slioots  to  about  four  eyes  in  length,  be- 
cause the  lowermost  seldom  is  good,  and  three 
buds  are  sufficient,  for  each  of  these  will  produce 
a  shoot,  which  generally  has  two  or  three  bunches 
of  Grapes  ;  so  that  from  each  of  those  shoots  there 
may  be  expected  from  six  to  eight  bunches,  which 
is  a  sufficient  quantity.  These  shoots  rhust  be 
laid  about  eighteen  inches  asunder,  for  if  they 
are  closer,  when  the  side  shoots  are  produced, 
there  will  not  be  room  enough  to  train  them  against 
the  trellis,  <Sic.  which  should  always  be  provided  for; 
and  as  their  leaves  are  very  large,  the  branches 
should  be  left  at  aproportionable  distance  from  each 
other,  that  they  may  not  croud  or  shade  the  fruit. 

At  the  winter  pruning  of  your  Vines,  yon  should 
always  observe  to  make  the  cut  just  above  the  eye, 
sloping  it  backward  from  it,  that  if  it  should  bleed, 
the  sap  might  not  flow  on  the  bud,  and  where  there 
is  an  opportunity  of  cutting  down  some  young 
shoots,  to  two  eyes,  in  order  to  produce  vigorous 
shoots  for  next  year's  bearing,  it  should  always 
be  done,  because  in  stoppingof  those  shoots  which 
have  fruit  upon  them,  as  soon  as  the  Grapes  are 
formed,  which  is  frequently  practised,  it  often 
spoils  the  eyes,  for  producing  bearing   branches 


17 

the  following  year,  and  this  reserving  of  new  wood 
is  what  the  Vignerons  abroad  always  practice  in 
their  Vineyards.  The  best  season  for  pruning  of 
Vines  is  the  end  of  October,  for  the  reasons  before 
laid  down.* 

In  April,  or  beginning  of  May,  when  the  Vines 
begin  to  shoot,  you  must  carefully  look  them  over, 
rubbing  off  all  the  snoall  buds  which  may  come 
from  the  old  wood,  which  only  produce  weak  dang- 
ling branches ;  as  also  when  two  shoots  are  produced 
from  the  same  bud,  the  weakest  of  them  should  be 
displaced,  which  vr»ll  cause  the  others  to  be  stron- 
ger ;  and  the  sooner  this  is  done,  the  better  it  is 
for  the  Vines. 

In  the  middle  of  May,  you  must  go  over  them 
again,  rubbing  ofFall  the  dangling  shoots  asbefore, 
and  at  the  same  time,  you  must  fasten  up  all  the 
strong  branches  ;  for  if  the  shoots  hang  down,  their 
leaves  will  be  turned  with  their  upper  surfaces 
the  wrong  way,  and  when  the  shoots  are  after- 
wards trained  upright,  they  will  have  their  under 
surface  upwards  ;  and  until  the  leaves  are  turned 
again,  and  have  taken  their  right  position,  the  fruit 
will  not  thrive  :  so  that  the  not  observing  this  man- 
agement, will  cause  the  Grapes  to  be  a  fortnight 
or  three  weeks  later  before  they  ripen  ;  besides 
they  will  be  shaded  by  the  closeness  of  the  bran- 
ches, will  greatly  retard  their  growth;   therefore 

*  Forsythe  recommends  Feb'y  as  the  best  season  for  pruning. 
2* 


18 

• 
during  the  growing  season,  you  should  constantly 
look  over  the  Vines,  displacing  all  dangling  bran- 
ches, and  wild  wood,  and  fasten  up  the  other 
shoots  regularly,  as  they  are  extended  in  length; 
and  towards  the  middle  of  June,  you  should  stop 
the  bearing  branches,^  which  will  strengthen 
the  fruit,  provided  you  always  leave  three  eyes 
above  the  bunches  ;  for  if  you  stop  thenn  too  soon, 
it  will  injure  the  fruit,  by  taking  away  that  part 
of  the  branch  which  is  necessary  to  attract  the 
nourishment  to  the  fruit,  as  also  to  perspire  off  the 
crudities  of  the  sap,  which  is  not  proper  for  the 
fruit  to  receive. 

But  although  I  recommend  the  stopping  those 
shoots  which  have  fruit  at  this  season,  yet  this  is 
not  to  be  practised  upon  those  which  are  intended 
for  bearing  next  year,  for  those  must  not  be  stop- 
ped before  the  middle  of  July,!  lest  by  stopping 
them  too  soon,  you  cause  the  eyes  to  shoot  out 
strong,  lateral  branches,  whereby  they  will  be 
greatly  injured. 

Daring  the  summer  season,  you  should  be  care- 
ful to  rub  otF  all  dangling  branches,  and  train  up 
the  shoots  regularly,  to  a  trellis  or  wall  as  before, 
which  will  greatly  accellerate  the  growth  of  the 
fruit,  and  also  admit  the  sun  and  air  to  them,  which 

*  In  this  climate  these  bearing  Vines  ought  not  to  be  stopt  until 
July.  J.  A. 

t  As  1  observed  before,  the  Vines  ought  not  to  be  stopped,  but 
suffered  to  grow  at  full  length.  J-  A. 


19 


is  necessary  to  ripen  and  give  the  fruit  a  rich  flavour  ^ 
but  you  must  never  flivest  the  branches  of  tl»eir 
leaves,  as  in  the  practice  of  some  persons  :  for  al- 
though the  admitting  of  the  sun  must  be  necessary 
to  ripen  them,  yet  if  they  are  too  much  o^J)o^;ed 
thereto,  their  skins  will  be  tough,  and  it  will  retard 
their  ripening ;  besides,  the  leaves  being  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  nourish  the  fruit,  by  taking 
them  off,  the  fruit  is  starved^  and  seldom  comes  to 
any  size,  as  I  have  several  times  observed  ;  there- 
fore, a  great  regard  should  be  had  to  the  summer 
management  of  the  Vines,  where  persons  are  de- 
sirous to  have  theirfruitexcelientandduly  ripened. 
When  the  fruit  is  all  gathered,  you  should  prune 
the  Vines,  whereby  the  litter  of  their  leaves  will 
be  entirely  removed  at  once,  and  their  fruit  will 
be  forwarder  the  succeeding  year.*  - 


ON  GRAFTING   VINES. 

At  (he  pruuing  season,  make  choice  of  cutting^ 
for  grafts  or  scions  from  the  best  bearing  branches 

*  Vines  may  b?  very  easily  propagated  from  tiie  young  greeu 
shoots  of  the  season,  as  soon  as  tiiey  are  long  enough  to  lay  down  ; 
^ig  a  hole  between  the  rows  and  lay  in  ihe  young  shoots,  leaving  a 
few  inches  of  the  top  above  ground  fastening  it  down  with  a  hooked 
peg  or  some  other  thing  to  keep  it  in  its  place,  then  fill  the  hole 
with  rich  light  earth,  and  water  it  well;  that  if  every  other  day 
for  a  week,  when  it  will  have  taken  root;  and  as  it  grows  it  must  be 
tied  to  a  slake  to  keep  it  from  breaking,  iin-l  the  next  season  it 
may  be  pruned  and  removed  at  yout  pleasure.  J.  A. 


20 


of  the  sorts  intended  to  be  propagated.  In  general 
the  bottom  part  of  the  last  year's  shoot  is  to  be 
preferred  ;  but  in  well  ripened  vigorous  wood,  any 
part  of  the  shoot  will  answer,  provided  it  be  not 
too  long  jointed.  These  cuttings  should  be  pre- 
served in  pots  filled  with  light  sandy  earth,  till  the 
grafting  season. 

Vines  growing  in  the  open  air  should  be  graft- 
ed from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  first  of  April. 
In  general  they  should  be  grafted  about  three 
weeks  before  they  begin  to  break  into  bud. 

Upon  small  stocks,  not  more  than  an  inch  di- 
ameter, cleft  grafting  is  most  proper  :  but  upon  lar- 
ger stocks,  whip  grafting  is  to  be  preferred.  In 
both  methods  care  should  be  taken  in  fitting  the 
stock  and  scion  together,  and  the  operation  should 
be  performed  with  great  exactness.  Fasteti  them 
together  with  bass-matting,  and  cover  them  with 
elay  the  usual  way. 

Though  the  scion  will  sometimes  begin  to  push 
in  a  few  weeks,  yet  it  will  frequently  remain  dor- 
mant two  or  three  months ;  during  this  period  the 
stock  must  be  striped  of  all  its  shoots,  as  soon  as 
they  appear;  and  to  preserve  the  scion  in  a  vege- 
tative slatf,  the  clay  must  be  kept  moderately  \ 
moisted,  by  wrapping  wet  moss  around  it,  a. id  by 
keepitig  the  moss  constantly  sprinkled  with  water. 

"When  the  scion  has  made  shoots  five   or  six  j 
inches  long,  the  clay  and  bandage  should  be  care- 
fully taken  off. 


21 


But  the  most  eligil>le  method  of  grafting,  is  b_y 
approach,  hi  which  case  it  is  necessary,  to  have 
the  plant  intended  to  be  propagated,  in  a  pot. 
Strong  plants  that  have  been  two  or  three  years  in 
pots,  are  to  be  preferred  ;  bbt  plants  from  the  nur- 
sery may  be  potted,  and  grafted  in  the  same  sea- 
ion  if  brougiit  into  a  hot  house  or  vinery. 

Fine  Grapes  and  good  wood  may  be  obtained  in 
the  first  season,  by  any  of  these  methods,  but  par- 
ticularly by  the  last ;  in  which  it  is  obvious  that  the 
graft  has  a  double  support^  namely,  from  the  stock, 
and  from  the  plant  in  the  pot. 

In  grafting  by  approach,  the  clay  and  bandage 
should  remain  two  or  three  months  after  the  graft 
has  formed  an  union  ;  for  if  it  be  taken  off^ooner, 
the  graft  will  be  very  liable  to  spring  from  the 
stock.  The  pot  should  be  plentifully  supplied 
with  water  till  the  month  of  August,  when  the  graft 
should  be  separated  from  the  plant  in  the  pot. 
Two  or  three  inches  of  the  wood  below  the  bottom 
of  the  graft  may  be  left,  but  should  be  taken  clean 
off  at  the  next  year's  winter  pruning. 

The  strongest  growing  Vines  are  most  proper 
for  stocks,  and  plants  raised  from  seeds  of  very 
strong  growing  Vines,  are  to  be  preferred  to  plants 
raised  either  from  layers  or  cuttings  for  this  pur- 
pose. If  the  produce  of  the  seed  should  even  de- 
generate, they  will  still  be  better  for  stalks,  be- 
cause they  will,  on  that  account,  grow  with  greater 
ifigour. 


22 


The  most  important  advantages  of  grafting  are, 
first :  That  if  you  have  bad  kind  of  Vines  planted, 
instead  of  stubbing  them  up,  and  planting  others, 
by  which  several  years  will  elapse,  before  yea  can 
have  their  places  hlled  with  bearing  Vines ;  by 
grafting,  the  nature  of  the  Vines  are  changed  im- 
mediately ;  for  good  grapes  may  be  obtained 
from  the  same  year's  graft,  which  will  grow  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  feet  in  length,  in  the  tirst  summer. 
Secondly.  Where  you  have  not  room  for  a  great 
▼ariety,  they  may  be  procured  by  grafting  differ- 
ent kinds  on  the  same  plant. 

But  the  principal  advantage  of  grafting,  is  the 
improvement  of  the  various  kinds,  and  particularly 
the  small  ones,  which  generally  make  weak  wood. 
This  may  be  done  by  grafting  the  weak  and  deli- 
cate growing  Vines,  upon  the  stocks  of  those  which 
are  more  robust  and  vigorous.  Thus  the  small 
blue  Frontinac  engrafted  on  the  Syrian  Vine,  prd- 
buces  well  sized  handsome  bunches,  with  berries 
almost  as  large  as  those  of  the  black  Hamburgh.* 

*  I  would  advise  country  gentlemen  to  engraft  the  hardiest 
liinHs  of  foreign  grapes  as  well  as  the  best  native  ones  on  the 
wild  native  stock.  For  there  are  very  few  situations  in  the  coun- 
try, soutli  of  40"  of  latitude,  that'does  not  produce  wild  vines;  there 
is  Scarcely  a  mile  square  in  any  part  of  the  country,  where  they 
are  not  to  be  found  ;  and  where  they  grow  in  the  fields  or  gar- 
dens, or  near  the  house,  the  experiment  can  be  easily  tried  :  and 
if  it  should  succeed,  it  will  be  a  great  acquisition  to  the  I  able  atl 
least,  if  not  for  making  wine. 


23 

.   ON  PLANTING  VINEYARDS. 

The  first  great  thing  to  be  considered  in  plant- 
ing a  Vineyard,  is  the  choice  of  soil  and  situation, 
which,  if  not  rightly  chosen,  there  will  be  but  lit- 
tle hopes  of  success,  for  upon  this  the  whole  affair 
greatly  depends.  The  best  soil  for  a  Vineyard, 
is  such  whose  surface  is  a  light  sandy  loam,  and 
not  above  a  foot  and  a  half  or  two  feet  deep,  above 
the  gravel  or  rock,  either  of  which  bottoms  are 
equally  good  for  Vines  ;  but  if  the  soil  is  deep, 
and  the  bottom  either  a  clay  or  strong  loam,  it  is 
not  so  proper  for  this  purpose  ;  for  although  the 
Vines  may  shoot  vigorously,  and  produce  a  great 
quanty  of  Grapes,  yet  they  will  be  later  ripe,  ful- 
ler of  moisture,  and  so  consequently  their  juice 
not  mature,  nor  well  digested,  but  will  abound 
with  crudity ;  which  in  fermenting,  will  render 
the  Wine  sour  and  ill  tasted,  which  is  the  common 
complaint  of  those  who  have  made  Wine  in  Eng- 
land.* 

*I  am  induced  to  think  that  these  observations  do  not  apply 
10  this  country,  for  our  summers  are  mucli  warmer  here  than  in 
England  or  France,  and  vegetation  much  more  rapid.  Far  in'' 
Stance,  according  to  Mrs.  Legeuax's  table,  (see  M'Mahon's  Gar- 
dener.) 'The  Munier  Grape,  commonly  called  the  Miller  Bur- 
gundy, or  Blue  English  Grape,  does  not  ripen  inFrance  upon  an 
jl  averac;e,  earlier  tiian  the  first  of  October,  and  at  his  Vineyard 
near  Spring  Mill,  a  few  miles  from  Philadelphia,  th<!  average  is 
the  first  01  JscptemDer  iu  ripening.  1  have  had  them  for  six 
years  in  this  district,  and  the  latest  they  were  ripening,  was  the 


24 


Nor  IS  a  very  rich,  light,  deep  soil,  proper  for 
this  purpose  ;  because  the  roots  of  these  Vines  are 
enticed  down  too  deep  to  recieve  the  influence  of 
the  sun  and  air,  and  hereby  will  take  much  crude 
nourishment,  whereby  the  fruit  will  be  rendered 
less  valuable,  and  be  later  ripe,  which  is  of  ill  con- 
sequence to  those  fruits  which  are  known  to  im- 
bibe a  great  share  of  their  nourishment  from  the 
air,  which  if  replete  with  moisture,  must  necessari- 
ly contribute  greatly  to  render  the  juices  less  per- 
fect; therefore,  great  attention  should  be  had  to 
the  nature  of  the  soil,  upon  which  they  are  planted. 

The  next  thing  necessary  to  be  considered,  is 

i5th  of  August ;  this  last  year,  1822,  they  ripened  on  the  4th  of 
the  month.  So  that  we  have  a^least  one  month's  advantage,  and 
may  let  our  Grapes  hang  on  the  Vines  until  they  begin  to  shrivel, 
and  consequently,  they  will  lose  a  great  proportion  of  their  aque- 
ous particles.  I  made  a  Wine  of  the  Schuylkill  Muscadell, 
(near  Havre-de-Grace,  where  the  Vines  grow  on  a  rich  loam 
well  manured,  and  with  a  clay  bottom  ;)  which  was  pronounced 
equal  to  the  best  Wine  of  France.  And  this  was  not  compli- 
mentary, but  a  fact ;  for  it  was  put  upon  the  table  with  one  of  the 
best  Wii.es  that  France  produces;  and  no  one  could  tell  which 
was  the  French,  or  which  was  American;  neither  could  they 
perceive  any  difference.  It  is  but  proper  to  reniark,  that  I  never 
biade  quite  such  good  Wine  since,  owing  to  some  accidental  and 
unaccountable  circumstance,  in  the  making  of  the  first.  But  I 
have  always  made  a.  decent  Wine,  as  good,  if  not  better,  than 
most  imported  Wine,  the  high  priced  ones  excepted.  But  no  doubt 
such  M  ine  maybe  made  of  the  same  Grape  ^gain,  in  the  hands 
of  askilljul  Vigneron  or  Wine  cooper.  J.  A. 


25 


the  situation  of  the  place,  which  if  possible,  should 
be  on  the  north  side  of  a  river,  ii')on  an  elevation 
inclining  to  the  south, witha  suiaH  gradual  descent, 
thatthe  nnoisture  may  the  better  drain  ofT;  but  if 
the  ground  slopes  too  much,  it  is  by  no  means  pro- 
per for  this  purpose  ;  but  if,  at  a  distance  from 
this  place,  there  are  larger  hills,  which  defend  it 
from  the  north  and  north-west  winds,  it  will  be  of 
great  service,  because  hereby  the  sun's  rays  will 
be  reflected  with  greater  force,  and  the  cold  winds 
being  kept  off.  will  render  the  situation  very  warm. 
The  country  should  be  open  and  hilly,  for  if 
there,  are  many  trees,  or  low  and  boggy,  the  air 
will  constantly  be  tilled  with  moist  particles,  Oc- 
casioned by  the  plentiful  perspiration  from  the 
trees,  or  the  exhalations  from  the  adjoining  marsh- 
es, vyhereby  the  fruit  will  be  greatly  prejudiced. 
The  Vir.eyards  should  always  be  open  to  the  east, 
that  the  morning  sun  may  come  on  them,  to  dry 
off  the  moisture  of  the  night  early,  which  by  lying 
too  long  upon  the  Vines,  greatly  retard  the  ripen- 
ing of  the  fruit,  and  renders  it  crude  and  ill  tasted. 
And  since  the  fruit  of  the  Vines  is  seldom  or  rarely 
injured  by  easterly  winds,  there  willb^  no  reason 
to  apprehend  any  danger  from  such  a  situation, 
the  north  and  north-west  winds  being  the  most  in- 
jurious. So  that  if  posbjble,  they  ought  to  be  shel- 
tered therefrom.* 

*  I  have  fouiJtl  the  top  of  the  bill  where  there  is  a  free  circu- 
3 


26 


Having  made  choice  of  soil  and  situation  pro- 
per for  this  purpose,  the  next  thing  is  to  prepare 
it  for  planting.  In  doing  of  which  the  following 
method  should  be  observed  :  In  the  spring  it  should 
be  ploughed  as  deep  as  the  surface  will  admit, 
turning  the  sward  into  the  bottom  of  the  furrow  ; 
after  this,  it  should  be  well  harrowed,  to  break 
the  clods,  and  cleanse  it  from  the  roots  of  noxious 
weeds,  and  it  must  be  often  ploughed,  and  harrow- 
ed for  at  least  one  year,  to  render  the  surface 
light ;  and  hereby  it  will  be  rendered  fertile,  by 
imbibing  the  nitrous  particles  of  the  air,  (especial- 
ly if  it  be  long  exposed  thereto,  before  it  is  plant- 
ed ;)  then  in  March,  the  ground  should  be  well 
ploughed  again,  and  after  having  made  the  sur- 
face pretty  even,  the  rows  should  be  marked  out 
from  south-east  to  north-west,  at  the  distance  of 
twelve  feet  from  each  other ;  and  these  rows 
should  be  crossed  again  at  five  or  six  feet  distance, 
which  will  mark  out  the  exact  places  where  each 
plant  should  be  placed  ;  so  that  the  Vines  will  be 

ation  of  air,  the  best  for  the  more  delicate  foreign  Grapes  ;  the 
Miller  Burgundy  and  White  Sweet  Water,  ripen  well  with  rae 
on  the  top  of  the  hill  near  my  house,  while  the  same  Grapes 
growing  within  less  than  twenty  perches  on  the  side  hill,  crack 
and  burst,  owing,  as  I  suppose,  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  and 
earth  :  even  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  all  within  between  two  and 
three  feet  of  the  ground,  are  subject  to  the  like  malady,  while 
those  at  four  feet  and  upwards  from  the  ground,  ripen  well 
and  come  to  the  greatest  perfection.  J.  A. 


27 

twelve  feet  row  from  row,  and  five  or  six  feet 
asunder  in  the  rows,  nearer  than  which,  they  ought 
never  to  be  planted.  And  herein  most  people 
who  have  planted  Vineyards  have  greatly  erred, 
some  having  allowed  not  more  than  five  feet  from 
row  to  row,  and  the  plants  but  three  feet  asunder 
in  the  rows  ;  and  others,  who  think  they  have  been 
full  liberal  in  this  article,  have  only  planted  their  • 
Vines  at  six  feet  distance  every  way  ;  but  neither 
of  these  havt  allowed  a  proper  distance  to  them, 
as  I  shall  show :  for  in  the  first  place,  where  the 
rows  are  placed  too  close,  there  will  not  be  room 
for  the  sun  and  air  to  pass  in  between  them  to  dry 
up  the  moisture,  which  being  detained  amongst  the 
Vines,  must  produce  very  ill  effects :  and,.secondly, 
where  the  Vines  are  placed  in  exact  squares,  so 
near  together  as  six  feet,  there  can  be  no  room  for 
the  currdYit  air  to  pass  between  them,  when  their 
branches  are  extended  on  each  side,  and  so,  conse- 
quently, the  damps  will  be  entangled  and  detained 
amongst  the  Vines,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the 
fruit;  and  all  proper  care  should  be  taken  to  re- 
move every  thing  that  may  obstruct  the  drying  up 
of  the  damps  which  arise  from  the  ground. 

The  skilful  Vignerons  abroad,  are  also  sensible 
how  much  it  contributes  to, the  goodness  of  their 
Vines,  to  allow  a  large  space  between  the  rows, 
and  therefore,  where  the  quality  of  the  AVineiti 
more  rcgard^jd  than  the  quantity,  there  they  never 


28 


plant  tlicir  Vines  at  less  than  ten  feet  row  from 
row;  but  it  is  betterlo  allow  tw/5lve<  It  was  an 
observation  of  Belloniu*,  two  hundred  years  since, 
tliat  in  those  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  where  the 
rows  of  the  Vines  were  placed  at  a  great  distance, 
the  Wine  was  much  preferable  to  those  which 
were  close  planted  ;  and  this  he  positively  affirnw 
to  be»the  case  in  most  countries  where  he  has  tra- 
velled. Indeed  we  need  not  have  recourse  to  an- 
tiquity for  the  certainty  of  such  facts,"when  we  are 
daily  convinced  of  this  truth  in  all  close  planta- 
tions of  any  kind  of  fruit,  where  it  is  constantly 
observed,  that  the  fruits  in  such  places  are  never 
eo  well  coloured,  so  early  ripe,  nor  so  well  fla- 
voured, as  those  produced  on  trees,  where  the  air 
can  freely  circulate  about  them,  and  the  rays  of 
the  sun  have  free  access  to  the  branches;  where- 
by the  juices  are  better  prepared  before  they  en- 
ter the  fruit. 

■  Having  thus  considered  the  "distance  which  is 
necessary  to  be  allowed  to  these  plants,  we  come 
next  to  the  planting  :  but  in  this,  the  proper  sorts 
of  Grapes  should  be  judiciously  chosen  ;  and  in 
this  particular,  we  generally  err  most  egregrious- 
ly;  generally  planting  the  sweetest  and  best  Grapes 
for  eating,  which  is  contrary  to  the  practice  of 
Vignerons  abroad,  who  always  observe  that  such 
Grapes  never  make  good  Wine  ;  and  therefore, 
from  experience,  make  choice  of  those  sorts  of 


29 


Grapes,  whose  juice  after  fermenting,  affords  a  no- 
ble and  rich  liquor;  which  Grapes  are  almost  al- 
ways observed  to, be  austere,  and  by  no  means 
palatable.  This  is  also  agreeable  to  the  constant 
practice  of  our  Cider-makers,  who  always  observe, 
that  the  best  eating  apples,  make  but  poor  Cider  ; 
whereas  the  more  rough  and  austere  sorts,  after 
being  pressed  and  fermented,  afford  a  strong  vine- 
ous  liquor.  And  1  believe  it  will  be  found  true  ia 
all  fruits,  that  where  the  natural  heat  of  the  sun 
ripens  and  prepares  their  juices,  so  as  to  render 
them  palatable,  whatever  degree  of  heat  these 
juices  have  more,  either  from  fermentation,  or 
from  any  other  cause,  will  render  the  Vine  weaker 
and  less  spirituous.  Of  this  we  have  many  in- 
stances in  fruits;  for  if  we  transplant  any  of  our 
Summer  or  Autumn  fruits,  which  ripen  perfectly 
in  England,  without  the  assistance  of  art,  into  a 
climate  a  few  degrees  warmer,  these  fruits  will 
become  mealy  and  insipid  :  so,  likewise,  if  we 
bake  or  stew  any  of  those  fruits,  they  will  be  good 
for  little,  losing  all  their  spirit  and  flavour  by 
the  additional  heat  of  the  tire  ;  and  such  fruits 
by  no  means  eatable  raw,  are  hereby  rendered 
exquisite,  which,  if  transplanted  into  a  warmer 
climate,  have,  by  the  additional  heat  of  the  sun, 
been  also  altered,  so  as  to  exceed  the  most  deli- 
cious of  our  fruit  in  this  country. 

From  whence,  it  is  plain,  that  those   Grapes 
which  are  most  agreeable  to  the  palate  for  eating, 
3* 


30 


are  not  proper  for  wine  ;  in  making  of  which,  their 
juices  must  undergo  a  strong  fermentation  ;  there- 
fore, since  we  only  propagate  the  most  palatable 
Grapes  for  eating,  and  neglect  the  other  sorts,  be- 
fore we  plant  Vineyards,  we  should  take  care  to 
to  be  provided  with  proper  sorts."  Of  which  I 
have  five  kinds,  of  each  of  which  1  have  made  good 
Wine,  viz.  The  Bland  Madeira,  Sckuylkill  Mus- 
eadell,  Constantia,  Tokay,  and  the  Worthington. 

Of  the  Bland  Madeira,  I  have  made  a  Wine 
equal  to  most  White  Wines,  the  best  Madeira  on- 
ly excepted  ;  and  of  the  Schuylkill  Muscadell,  I 
have  made  a  Wine,  pronounced  by  good  judges, 
to  be  "  Worthy  the  best  Vineyards  of  France." 

Some  foreign  Vignerons  plant  three  or  four  kinds 
of  Vines  in  the  same  Vineyard,  and  at  the  time  of 
vintage,  mix  them  all  together  ;  which  renders 
the  Wine  less  delicate,  than  in  such  places  where 
they  have  only  one  sort  of  Grape.  And  here  I 
would  caution  every  one  against  mixing  the  juice 
of  several  Grapes  together,  which  will  cause  the 
Wine  to  ferment  at  different  times,  and  in  differ- 
ent manners. 

But  I  would  advise  every  person  who  may  have, 
or  plant  a  Vineyard,  to  make  the  Wine  of  every 
kind  of  Grape  separately,  for  after  it  has  gone 
through  its  first  fermentations,  you  can  then 
discover,  by  mixing  small  quantities  in  glasses, 
whether  they  will  be  improved  or  not,  and  act  ac- 
cordingly.   But  if  you  happen  to  make  Wine  very 


31 


good,  be  cautious  of  mixing  it  with  any  Wine  of  an 
inferior  kind,  but  let  it  be  sacred.  You  ma)  some- 
times mix  your  inferior  Wines  to  a  decided  advan- 
tage. 

The  cuttings  being  provided  (for  I  would  always 
prefer  them  to  layers  or  rooted  plants)  from  the 
middle  of  March,  to  the  first  week  in  April,  as  the 
best  season  for  planting,  though  i  have  planted 
them  as  late  as  the  first  week  in  May,  when  it 
will  be  proper  to  put  the  lower  ends  of  the  cuttings 
in  water  about  five  or  six  inches,  setting  them  up- 
right for  six  or  eight  hours  before  they  are  used  ; 
then  at  the  centre  of  every  cross  mark,  already 
made  by  a  litic,  to  the  distance  the  Vines  are 
designed,  should  be  made  a  liole  with  a  spade,  or 
other  instrument,  about  a  foot  or  fifteen  inches 
deep,  into  each  of  which  should  be  put  one  strong 
cutting,  placing  it  a  little  sloping  :  then  the  hole 
should  be  filled  up  with  rich  earth,  pressing  it 
gently  with  the  feet  to  the  cutting,  and  raismg  a 
littl<  hill  to  each,  about  three  inches,  so  as  just  to 
eover  the  upper  eye  or  bud,  which  will  prevent 
the  wind  and  sun  from  drying  any  part  of  the  cut- 
ting, and  this  upper  c^^c  will  only  shoot,  the  un- 
der ones  most  of  them  will  push  out  roots  so  that 
this  shoot  will  be  very  strong  and  vigorous. 

After  they  are  thus  planted,  they  will  require 
no  oilier  care  until  ihvy  shoot,  except  to  keep 
the  ground  clear  from  weeds,  which  should  b6 


32 


constantly  observed ;  but  as  the  distances  between 
the  rows  are  very  great,  so  the  ground  between 
them  may  be  sowed  or  planted  with  any  kind  of 
esculent  plants,  which  do  not  grow  tall,  provided 
there  is  a  proper  distance  left  from  the  Vines,  and 
care  taken  that  the  Vines  are  not  injured  by  the 
crops,  or  in  the  gathering,  and  carrying  them  off 
the  ground  ;  and  this  husbandry  may  be  continued 
two  or  three  years,  till  the  Vines  come  to  bear- 
ing ;  after  which  lime  there  should  he  no  sort  of 
crop  put  between  them  in  summer,  because  the  clean- 
er the  ground  is  kept  betzoeen  the  Vines  Jrom  weeds 
and  plants,  the  more  theGrapes  will  thrive.  When 
the  cuttings  begin  to  shoot,  there  should  be  a 
stake  four  or  five  feet  long  stuck  down  by  each, 
(but  it  will  be  best  to  do  that  when  the  cuttings 
are  planted)  to  which  the  shoot  should  be  fasten- 
ed,  to  prevent  their  breaking  or  laying  on  the 
ground  :  so  that  as  the  shoots  advance,  the  fasten- 
ing should  be  renewed,  and  all  small  lateral  shoots 
(if  any  such  are  produced)  should  be  constantly 
displaced,  and  the  ground  between  the  Vines  al- 
ways kept  clean.  This  is  the  whole  management 
which  is  required  the  first  summer. 

But  at  Michaelmas,*  when  the  Vines  are  done 
shooting,  they  should  be  pruned ;  for  if  they  are 

♦  Michaelmas  is  the  29th  of  September.   In  this  climate  about 
th«  lOlb  o!  October  would  be  better. 


33 


left  unpruned  until  Spring,  their  shoots  being  ten- 
der (cirpecially  towards  the  upper  parts)  will  be 
in  danger  of  s'lflering  if  the  winter  should  prove 
severe. 

This  pruning,  after  rubbing  off  the  lower  eye, 
is  to  cut  (\owH  the  shoot  to  two  eyes ;  and  if  after 
this  is  done,  the  earth  be  drawn  up  in  a  hill  about 
each  plant,  it  will  be  a  greater  defence  against  the 
frost. 

At  the  beginning  of  March,  the  ground  between 
the  Vines  should  be  well  dug,  to  loosen  it,  and 
render  it  clean  ;  but  you  must  be  careful  not  to 
dig  deep  too  close  to  the  Vines,  lest  thereby  their 
roots  should  be  cut  or  bruised,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  earth  should  be  again  laid  up  in  a  hill  to 
each  plant ;  but  there  must  be  care  taken  not  to 
bury  the  two  young  eyes  of  the  former  year's 
shoot,  which  were  left  to  produce  new  wood. 

At  the  beginning  of  May,  when  the  Vines  are 
shooting,  there  should  be  two  stakes  fixed  down 
to  the  side  of  each  plant,  about  five  or  six  feet 
high,  above  the  ground  ;  to  these  the  two  shoots 
(if  so  many  are  produced)  should  be  fastened,  and 
all  the  small  trailing  or  lateral  >hoots  should  be 
constantly  displaced,  that  the  other  shoots  may 
be  stronger,  and  the  ground  should  also  be  kept 
ver;  clear  of  weeds  as  before. 

The  Autumn  following,  these  Vines  should  be 
pruned  again,    in   the  following    manner  :  those 


34 


which  have  produced  two  strong  shoots  of  equal 
vigour,  must  be  cut  down  to  three  or  four  eyes 
each,  bearing  in  mind  to  rub  off  the  lower  one  ; 
but  in  such  as  have  a  strong  shoot  and  a  weak 
one,  the  strong  one  must  be  shortened  to  three  or 
four  eyes,  and  the  weak  one  to  two ;  and  such 
Vines  as  have  produced  but  one  strong  shoot, 
should  be  shortened  down  to  three  eyes,  also  in 
order  to  obtain  wood  against  the  succeeding  year. 

In  the  Spring,  about  the  beginning  of  March, 
the  ground  between  the  Vines  should  again  be 
dug,  as  before,  and  two  stakes  should  be  placed 
down  by  each  of  the  Vines  that  have  two  shoots, 
at  sach  distance  on  each  side  of  the  plant  as  the 
shoots  will  admit  to  be  fastened  thereto,  and  the 
shoots  should  be  drawn  out  on  each  side  of  the 
stakes,  so  as  to  make  an  angle  of  about  forty-five 
degrees  with  the  stem  ;  but  by  no  means  should 
they  be  bent  down  horizontally,  as  is  by  some 
practised,  for  the  branches  lying  too  near  the 
earth,  are  generally  injured  by  the  damps  which 
arise  from  thence,  but  especially  when  they  have 
fruit,  which  is  never  so  well  tasted,  nor  so  early 
ripe  upon  those  branches,  as  when  they  are  a  lit- 
tle more  elevated. 

In  May,  when  the  Vines  begin  to  shoot,  they 
must .  be  attentively  looked  over,  and  all  weak 
dangling  shoots,  carefully  rubbed  off  as  they 
are  produced,  and  those   shoots  which  are  pro* 


35 


duced  from  strong  eyes,  should  he  fastened  to 
the  stakes,  to  prevent  their  being  broken  off  bjr 
the  wind. 

This  management  should  he  repeated  at  least 
every  three  wf-eks,   from  the  beginning  of  May, 
to  the  end  of  July  :  by  which  means  the  shoots 
which  are   trained   up  for  the  succeeding  year, 
will  not  only  be  stronger,  but  also  better  ripened 
and  prepared  for  bearing,  because  they  will  have 
the  advantage  of  the   sun  and'air,  which  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  prepare  their  juices  ;  whereas, 
if  they  are  croud^d  by  a  number  of  small,  dang- 
ling, weak  branches,  they  willBhade  and  exclude 
the  rays  of  the  sun  from  the  other  shoots ;  and  so 
by  detaining  the  moisture  a  longer  time  amongst 
the  branches,   occasion  the  vessels  of  the  young 
wood  to  be  of  larger  dimensions  ;  and  hereby  the 
crude  juice   finds  an  easy  passage  through  them, 
I    20  that  the  shoots  in  Autumn  seem  to  be  mostly 
pith,  and  are  of  a  greenish,  immature  nature,  and 
wherever  this  is  observed,  it  is  a  sure  sign  of  the 
bad  quality  of  the  Vines.     The  soil    also  should 
constantly  be  kept  clean,  because  if  there  are  any 
vegetables  (either  weeds  or  plants  of  other  kinds) 
growmg   between   the  Vines,  it  will   detain  the 
dews  longer,  and  by  their  perspiration,  occasion 
a  greater  moisture  than  would  be,  if  the  ground 
were  entirely  clear ;   so  that  those  who  plant 


36 


other   things  between  their  rows  of   Vines,   are 
guilt}'  of  a  great  error. 

In  Autumn,  the  Vines  should  be  pruned,  which     • 
season    I    approve    of    raiher  than    Spring,    (for 
reasons  before  given)  and   this  being   the  third     I 
year  from  planting,  the  Vines  will  now  be  strong 
enough  to  produce  fruit,  therefore  they  must  be      I 
pruned  accordingly.  ]Sow,  suppose  the  two  shoots     j 
of  the  former  }ear  \Yhich  were  shortened  to  three    J 
eyes,   have  each    of  them  produced  two  strong 
branches  the  summer  past,  then  the  uppermost  of 
these  shoots  should  be  shortened  down  to  three  or 
four*  good  eye?,  (never  including  the  lower  eye) 
and  the  lower-shoots  should  be  shortened  down  to 
two  good  e)  es  each,  these  being  designed  to  pro- 
duce vigorous  shoots  for  the  succeedingyear,  and 
the  former  are  designed  to  bear  fruit  ;  but  where 
the  Vines  are  weak,  and  have  not  produced  more 
than  two  or  three  shoots  at  the  last  season,  there  m 
should   be  but  one  of  them   left,  with  three  eyes 
forbearing;  the  other  must   be  shortened  down 
to  two,  or  if  weak,  one  good  eye,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain strong  shoots  for  the  following  summer  ;  for 
there  is  nothing  more  injurious  to  Vines,  than  the 
leaving  two  much   wood  upon  them,  especially 

*  I  leave  from  eight  to  fifteen  ej-es  upon  verj'  vigorous  shoots. 
Mr.  Forsythe,  when  Grapes  are  cultivated  for  the  table,  recom- 
mends fron.  tjfipen  to  thirty  eyeS,  from  which  you  may  bave  from 
thirty  to  Eixty  or  seventy  bunches  of  GrapeE. 


37 


while  they  are  young  ;  or  the  overbearing  them, 
which  will  weaken  them  so  much,  as  not  to  be 
recovered  again  to  a  good  state,  for  several  years, 
though  they  should  be  managed  with  all  possible 
skill. 

In  March,  the  ground  between  the  Vines  should 

be  well  dug,  as  before,  observing  not  to  injure  the 

roots  by  digging  too  deep  near  them  ;  but  where 

there  are  small  horizontal  roots,  produced  on,  or 

near  the  surface  of  the   ground,  they  should  be 

pruned  off  close  to  the  places  where  they  were 

produced  ;  those  being  what  the  Vignerons  call 

day  roots,  and  are  by  no  means  necessary  to  be 

left  on  ;  and  after  having  dug  the   ground,  the 

stakes  should  be  placed  in  the  following  manner: 

on  each  side  of  the  Vine,    should  be  a  stake  put 

in,  at  about  sixteen  inches  from  the  foot,  to  which 

the  two  branches  which  were  pruned  to  three  or 

four  eyes,  each  for  bearing,   should  be  fastened, 

(observing,  as  before  directed,   not  to  draw  them 

down  too  horizontally)  then  another  taller  stake 

should  be  placed  near  the  root  of  the  Vine    to 

which  the  two  shoots  that  were  pruned  down  to 

two  eyes,  should  be  fastened,   provided  they  are 

long  enough  for  that  purpose  ;  but,  if  not,  when 

their  eyes  begin  to  shoot,  these  must  be  trained 

upright  to  the  stakes,  to  prevent  their  trailing  on 

the  ground,  hanging  over  the  fruit  branches,  or 

being  broken  by  the  wind. 

4 


38 


In  May,  the  Vines  should  be  carefully  looked 
over  again,  at  which  time  all  the  weak  lateral 
branched  should  be  rubbed  off  as  they  are  pro- 
duced ;  and  those  shoots  which  show  fruit,  must 
be  fastened  with  bass  to  the  stakes  to  prevent  their 
being  broken,  until  they  are  extended  three  joints 
bejond  the  fruit,  when  they  should  be  stopped  ; 
but  the  shoots  which  are  designed  for  bearing  the 
following  season,  should  be  trained  upright  to  the 
middle  stake,  by  which  method  the  fruit  branches 
will  not  shade  those  middle  shoots,  nor  will  the 
middle  shoots  shade  the  fruit,  so  (bat  each  will 
enjoy  the  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air. 

"  This  method  should  be  repeated  every  fortnight 
or  three  weeks,  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  mid- 
dle of  July,  which  will  always  keep  the  shoots  in 
their  right  position,  whereby  the  leaves  will  not  be 
inverted,  which  greatly  retards  the  growth  of  the 
fruit;  and  by  keeping  the  Vines  constantly  clear  of 
horizontal  shoots,  the  fruit  will  not  be  crowded  with 
too  many  leaves,  and  not  be  too  much  shaded,  but 
willconstantly  havetheadvantage  of  the  sun  and  air 
equally,  which  is  of  great  consequence  ;  for  where 
the  fruit  is  covered  with  those  dangling  shoots  in 
the  spring,  and  is  afterwards  exposed  to  the  air, 
either  by  divesting  it  of  th6  leaves,  or  displacing 
the  branches  entirely,  as  is  often  practised,  the 
fruit  will  become  hard  and  remain  at  a  perfect 
stand  for  three  weeks,  and  sometimes  will  never' 


39 


advance  afterwards,  as  I  have  several  times  ob- 
served ;  therefore  there  cannot  be  too  much  care 
taken  to  keep  it  constantly  in  a  kindly  state 
of.  growth,  as  the  Vignerons  abroad  well  know, 
though  it  is  little  regarded  by  the  generality  of 
gardeners,  who,  when  they  suffer  by  this  neglect, 
immediately  complain  of  the  climate,  or  the  un- 
towardness  of  the  season,  which  is  too  often  a  co- 
ver for  neglects  of  this  nature.  And  here  I  can- 
not help  taking  notice  of  the  absurd  practice  of 
those  who  pull  off  the  leaves  from  their  Vines, 
which  are  placed  near  the  fruit,  in  order  to  let  in 
the  rays  of  the  sun  to  ripen  them  ;  not  considering 
how  much  they  expose  their  fruit  to  the  dews, 
which  fall  plentifully  in  autumn,  and  which  being 
imbibed  by  the  fruit,  greatly  retard  it ;  besides,  no 
fruit  will  ripen  so  well  when  entirely  exposed  to 
the  sun,  as  when  moderately  screened  with  leaves, 
which  are  absolutely  necessary  to  prepare  the 
juices  before  they  enter  the  fruit,  the  gross  parts  of 
which  are  perspired  by  the  leaves,  the  fruit  must 
either  be  deprived  of  nourishment,  or  else  some 
of  the  gross  particles  will  enter  with  the  more  re- 
fined parts  of  the  juice,  and  thereby  render  the 
fruit  worse  than  it  otherwise  would  be,  were  the 
leaves  permitted  to  remain  on  the  branches  ;  for 
if  the  week  danglingshoots  areconstantly  displaced 
as  they  are  produced,  the  fruit  will  not  b«:  too 
much  shaded  by  the  leaves  that  are  upon  the  bear- 
ing branches. 


40 


When  the  fruit  is  ripe,  if  the  stalks  of  the  bunct- 
es  are  cut  half  through  a  fortnight  before  they  are 
gathered,  it  will  cause  the  juice  to  be  much  bet- 
ter, because  there  will  not  be  near  so  great  a 
«[uantity  of  nourishment  enter  the  fruit,  whereby 
»he  watery  particles  wiil  have  time  to  evaporate, 
and  the  juice  w^Hl   be  better  digested.     This  is 
practised  by  some  of  the  most  curious  Vignerons 
in  the  south  of  France,  where  they  make  excel- 
lent Wine.     But  after  the  fruit  is  cut,  it  is  hung 
up  in  a  dry  room  upon  strings,  ro  that  the  bunch- 
es do  not  touch  each  other,  for  a   month  before 
they  are  pressed  ;  it  will  also  add  greatly  to  the 
strength  of  the  Wine,  because  in  that  time  a  great 
quantity  of  the  watery  parts  of  the  juices  will 
evaporate.     This  is  a  constant  practice  with  some 
persons  who  inhabit  the  Tyrolese,  on  the  borders 
of  Italy,  where  there  is  a  most  delicious  rich  Wine 
made,  as  has  been  attested  by  Doctor  Burnet  in  his 
travels  ;  and  I  have  heard  the  same  from  several 
gentlemen  who  have  travelled  that  road  since.  But 
with  all  the  care  that  can  possibly  be  taken,  either 
in  the  culture  of  the  Vines,  or  in  making  Wine,  it 
will  not  be  near  so  good   while  the  Vineyard  is 
young,  as  it  will  be  after  it  has  been  planted  ten 
or  twelve  years  ;  and  it  will  be  constantJj  men(^ 
ing  until  it  is  fifty  years  old,  as  has  been  attested 
by  several  curious  persons  abroad,  as  also  by  the 
most  skilful  Wine-coopers  at  home,  who  can  tell 


41 

the  produce  of  a  young  Vineyard  from  that  of  ao 
old  one,  after  it  is  brought  to  England,  by  the  co- 
lour of  the  Wine.  This  difference  is  very  easily 
accounted  for,  from  the  different  structure  of  the 
vessels  of  the  plants  ;  those  of  the  young  Vines 
being  larger,  and  of  a  looser  texture,  easily  admit 
a  larger  quantity  of  gross  nourishment  to  pass 
through  them  ;  whereas  those  of  the  old  Vines, 
which  are  more  woody,  are  more  closely  constrict- 
ed, and  thereby  the  juice  is  better  strained  in 
passing  through  them,  which  must  constantly  ren- 
der it  much  better,  though  the  Grapes  from  a 
young  Vineyard  will  be  much  larger,  and  afford  a 
greater  quantity  of  juice,  so  that  people  should  not 
be  discouraged  if  their  Wines  at  first  are  not  so 
good  as  they  could  wish,  since  afterwards,  when 
the  Vineyard  is  a  few  years  older,  the  Wine  may 
answer  their  expectation.* 

The  Vineyard  being  now  arrived  at  a  bearing 
state,  should  be  treated  after  the  following  mau- 

*  I  wouk)  advise  to  let  the  Grapes  hang  on  the  Vines  until  they 
begin  to  shrivel,  or  show  a  disposition  to  drop  off.  Our  clin>atc 
being,  I  believe,  much  drier  than  that  of  Europe,  and  our  Grape? 
ripening  early,  by  leaving  them  on  the  Vines,  a  greater  part  of 
the  watery  particles  will  evaporate  :  and  I  am  inclined  to  tliiiik 
that  our  Vineyards  will  come  to  perfection  sooner  than  in  that 
country.  I  am  satisSed  that  I  pulled  my  Grapos  too  soon  lliis 
last  season  for  n-aking  Wine  ;  if  I  Iiad  let  them  ban;;  longer  en 
♦"h-  Vine, my  V»jnc  would  have  had  more  ilavotu,  and  been  riclicr 

•T.  A-v 
4* 


42 


iier  :  lir»t,  in  the  pruning,  there  should  neyerbe  too 
many  branches  left  on  the  root,  nor  those  too  long ; 
for  although  by  doing  this  there  may  be  a  greater 
quantity  of  fruit  produced,  yet  the  juice  of  these 
will  never  be  so  good  as  when  there  is  a  moderate 
quantity,  which  will  be  better  nourished,  and  the 
roots  of  the  plants  not  so  much  weakened  ;  which 
is  found  to  be  of  so  bad  consequence  to  Vineyards, 
that  when  gentlemen  abroad  let  out  Vineyards  to 
V^ignerons,  there  is  always  a.  clause  inserted  in 
their  leases  to  direct  how  many  shoots  shall  be  left 
on  each  Vine,  and  the  number  of  eyes  to  which  the 
branches  must  be  shortened ;  because,  were  not  the 
X'ignerons  thus  tied  down, they  would  overbear  the 
Vines,  so  that  in  a  few  years  they  would  exhaust 
llieir  roots,  and  render  them  so  weak  as  not  to  be 
recovered  again  in  several  years  ;  and  their  Wins 
would  be  so  bad,  as  to  bring  a  disreputation  oo 
the  Vineyard,  to  the  great  loss  of  the  proprietor.* 
The  number  of  branches  which  the  Italians 
i^enerally  agree  to  leave  on  strong  Vines  are  four, 

*  I  have  found  ihat  by  pruning  close,  I  have  lost  my  Grapes  a)> 
together  ;  for  wc  frequently  have  a  very  warm  spell  of  weather 
In  March,  which  causes  the  lower  buds  to  swell,  and  then  cornea 
a  sharp  frost  and  destroys  all  the  buds  that  had  began  to  swell  j 
-.n  the  foreign  Vines  I  have  had  as  many  as  six  buds  destroyed 
jn  a  shoot,  while  the  buds  above  produced  fine  Grapes.  I 
{lenerallv,  upon  a  strong  shoot,  leave  (Vom  eiglii  to  fifteen  buds  j- 
iind  where  the  Vines  are  annually  manured,  1  do  not  think  it  in- 
IjvCs  the  Vine-.  ^'  ^' 


43 


two  of  the  strongest  have  four  eyes,  and  the  two 
weaker  are  shortened  down  to  two  eyes  each. 

Constantly  keep  the  ground  clean  betwf  en  the 
Vines  ;  dig  it  carefully  every  spring,  and  every 
third  year  manure  it.  If  the  land  be  stiff  and  in- 
clinable to\  bind,  then  lay  on  sand  or  sea-coaJ 
ashes  •,  but!  if  it  be  loose  and  dry  ;  a  little  lime 
mixed  with  dung  is  the  best  manure.  Spread  it 
thin  on  the  surface,  and  in  digging  bury  every 
part.  It  is  much  preferable  to  all  dang,  and 
where  the  Vineyard  is  large,  a  third  part  may  be 
manured  every  year. 

Dig  and  manure  about  the  beginning  of  IVIarch, 
at  which  time  all  the  superticial  roots  must  be  cut 
off,  but  the  larger  roots  must  not  be  injured  ; 
therefore  the  ground  close  to  the  stem  of  the  vines 
must  not  be  dug  very  deep.  After  this  is  done, 
place  the  stakes  one  oh  each  side,  at  about  six- 
teen inches  from  the  stems,  to  which  the  longest 
bearing  branches  should  be  fastened ;  and  one  stake 
on  each  side  close  to  the  stem,  to  which  fasten  the 
twa  shorter  branches  upright,  to  furnish  wood  for 
the  succeeding  year. 

In  the  summer,  look  them  over  carefully,  rub- 
bing off  all  weak,  dangling  shoots,  and  training 
the  good  ones  to  the  stakes,  regularly  as  they  are 
produced.  Stop  those  which  have  fruit  in  June, 
about  three  joints  beyond  the  bunches ;  but  ih^ 
upright  shoots,  which  are  designed   for  bearing 


44 


the  following  year,  must  not  be  stopped  until  the 
middle  of  July,  when  they  may  be  left  about  five 
feet  long.* 

All  this  sunjmer,  the  dressing  should  be  done 
with  the  thumb  and  finger,  and  not  with  a  knife, 
because  wounds  made  by  instruments  in  summer, 
do  not  heal  so  soon  ;  and  the  shoots  being  very 
tender  whilst  young,  may  easily  be  stopped  by 
gently  nipping  the  leading  bud. 

When  a  Vineyard  is  thus  carefully  dressed,  the 
rows  regular,  the  stakes  exactly  placed,  and  the 
upright  shoots  stopped  at  an  equal  height,  it 
makes  a  beautiful  appearance,  and  when  the  Vines 
are  in  flower,  they  emit  a  most  grateful  scent, 
especially  in  the  morning  and  evening. 

But  as  the  beauty  of  a  Vineyard  depends  upon  the 
regular  disposition  of  th^  Vine-branches,  great 
care  should  be  taken  to  train  them  regularly,  and 

*  It  will  not  answer  to  stop  Vines  on  the  bearing  bunches  in 
this  climate,  until  the  last  of  July,  or  beginning  of  August,  and 
those  to  produce  fruit  next  year  must  not  be  stopped  at  all,  but 
suffered  to  grow  at  full  length.  Where  1  have  stopped  them  at 
three  joints  above  the  fruit,  when  the  Grapes  vvere  the  size  of 
small  peas,  new  shoots  were  produced,  and  they  blossomed  and 
bore  fruit,  and  by  stopping  these  last  shoots  in  the  same  man- 
ner, another  set  of  shoots  appeared,  and  also  blossomed  and 
bore  fruit.  So  that  on  the  same  branch,  I  had  ripe  Grapes,  some 
nearly  full  grown,  and  others  about  the  size  of  small  peas  at  the 
same  time.  This,  I  think,  must  exhaust  and  injure  the  Vine 
more  than  by  deferring  it  to  a  later  seasori.  J.  A. 


45 


lo  provide  every  year  for  bearing  wood;  because 
that  which  has  produced  iVuit  is  commonly  cut 
away  after  the  fruit  is  gathered,  or  at  least  is 
shortened  down  to  two  eyes,  to  force  out  shoots 
for  the  next  year  ;  where  there  is  not  Tsuflicient 
number  of  branches  of  those  trained  upright,  so 
that  in  summer,  when  the  Vines  are  in  perfection, 
iix  uj^right  shoots  should  be  trained  for  the  next 
year's  wood,  and  three  or  four  bearing  branches 
with  fruit  on  them  :  more  than  these  ought  never 
to  be  left  on  one  Vine. 

The  Auvernaut  or  true  Burgundy  Grape  is  valu- 
ed in  France  before  any  other  sort,  because  the 
fruit  never  grows  very  close  upon  the  bunches, 
and  theretore  is  more  easily  ripened  ^  for  which 
reason  it  and  others  like  it  ought  to  be  preferred  : 
for  Grapes  in  close  bunches  are  frequently  ripe  on 
one  side,  and  green  on  the  other,  which  is  a  bad 
tjuality  for  such  as  are  to  be  used  in  making  Wine. 


ON  MAKING  WINE. 

A  Mr.  Hamilton  made  a  fair  experiment  in 
England,  and  succeeded  so  as  to  make  Wine  equal 
to  the  best  Champaign  in  France.  And  there 
can  be  no  reason  why  we  should  not  make  good 
U'ines  in  this  country,  as  we  have  a  climate  su- 


46^ 


perior  to  that  of  England,  and  equal  to  that  of 
most  parts  of  France. 

Mr.  Hamilton's  Vineyard  was  on  the  south  side 
of  a  gentle  hill ;  the  soil  a  gravelly  sand.  It  was 
planted  entirely  with  two  sorts  of  Burgundy 
Grapes,  the  Auvernaut  and  the  Black  Cluster  (the 
latter  is  with  us  called  the  Miller  Burgundy  or 
Blue  English  Grape.)  The  first  year  he  attempt- 
ed to  make  Wine  in  the  usual  way,  but  it  was  very 
harsh  and  austere  ;  the  second  year  he  succeeded 
better  in  making  a  White  Wine,  which  nearly  re»" 
sembled  Champaign  in  flavour  :  in  two  or  three 
years,  as  the  Vines  grew  stronger,  the  Wine  had  ^ 
finer  flavour  than  the  best  Champaign.  He  sold 
it  to  Wine  merchants  for  fifty  guineas  a  hogshead  t 
and  one  Wine  merchant  to  whom  he  sold  five 
hundred  pounds  sterling  worth  at  one  time,  assur* 
ed  him  that  he  sold  some  of  the  best  of  it  from 
seven  shillings  and  sixpence  to  ten  shillings  and 
sixpence  sterling  per  bottle,  (which  is  equal  to 
from  g  1  67  to  $  2  33  per  bottle  of  our  money.) 

After  many  years  experience,  he  let  the  Grapes 
hang  on  the  Vines  till  perfectly  .ripe  ;  they  were 
then  carefully  cut  off  with  scissors,  and  brought 
home  in  small  quantities,  to  prevent  their  heat- 
ing, or  pressing  one  another ;  then  they  were 
picked  off  the  stalks,  and  all  the  mouldy  and  green 
ones  were  thrown  aside,  before  the  Grapes  were 
put  into  the  press :  which  was  done  in  a  few  hours 


47 


after  they  were  gathered.  As  fast  as  the  juice 
ran  from  (he  press,  it  was  put  into  hogsheads  and 
closely  bunged  up.  These  were  left  all  Winter 
in  a  cool  barn.  When  the  fermentation  was  over, 
it  was  racked  oflT  into  clean  hogsheads,  and  carried 
to  the  vaults,  before  any  warm  weather  could 
raise  a  second  fermentation.  In  March,  if  any  of 
the  hogsheads  were  not  quite  fine,  they  were  fined 
down  with  fish-glue.*  All  was  bottled  in  the 
end  of  March.  In  about  six  weeks,  the  Wine 
would  be  in  perfect  order  for  drinking,  and  in 
prime  order  for  above  one  year.  The  second 
year  the  flavour  and  sweetness  abated,  and  gradu- 
ally declined,  till  they  failed  entirely.  Some  of 
this  was  kept  for  sixteen  years,  and  became  very 
like  old  hock.  The  only  art  ever  u.-od  was  put- 
ting three  pounds  of  White  Sugar-Candy,  to  some 
of  the  hogsheads,  when  the  Wine  was  first  turned 
from  the  press,  in  conformity  to  a  rage  that  then 
prevailed  for  very  sweet  Champaign. 


TO  MAKE  WINE  FROM  GRAPES. 

Gather  your  Grapes  wheu  fully  ripe,  pick  them 
©ffthe  bunches,  rejecting  all  those  that  are  green 
and  unsound,  bruise  them  with  a  beetle  or  any  other 
instrument,  having  a  care  not  to  bruise  the  seed  j 

•Uinglajs. 


48 


Ibnf  theskin  of  the  grape  be  butjust  crackedit  is  sul- 
ficieiit.  Then  put  them  into  a  cask  or  hogshead,* 
(according  to  the  quantity.)  with  one  head  out, 
and  cover  it  with  a  blanket  and  boards  to  keep  out 
the  dirt,  &ic,  stir  them  twice  or  thrice  in  the  first  24 
hours,  and  then  let  them  stand  until  the  colouring 
matter  and  the  pulp,  if  they  have  any,  are  dissolv- 
ed, which  will  be  in  from  36  hours  to  3  or  4  da^  s, 
according  to  the  weather,  which  you  can  see  by 
faking  up  a  handful  and  examining  them  :  the 
skins  and  seeds  will  have  risen  to  the  surface,  and 
/orm  a  solid  body.  Then  draw  oiF  the  juice  from 
a  hole  made  within  one  or  two  inches  of  the  bot- 
tom of  your  vat,  and  barrel  it  up.  But  if  you 
have  not  enough  to  fill  your  cask,  press  the  skins 
and  seeds,  and  put  both  liquors  together,  and  leave 
out  the  bung  for  eight  or  ten  days,  filling  it  twice 
or  three  times  a  day  for  the  impurities  to  escape 
at  the  bung  ;  and  then  bung  it  up  tight,  and  leave 
a  hole  for  a  spile  near  the  bung,  which  you  may 
draw  once  in  two  or  three  days  for  a  few  minutes, 
to  let  the  air  generated  escape,  and  in  about  one 
month  drive  it  in  perfectly  tight.  If  your  Grapes 
«row  onyoung  Vines,  it  may  be  necessary  for  the 
first  two  or  three  years  to  add  about  from  one  to 
two  pounds  of  clean  moist  sugar  to  each  gallon,  to 
give  it  a  body  and  make  it  ferment  freely .t 

*  Which  I  shall  throughout  this  work  call  a  vat. 

t  When  you  draw  off  your  Wine  from  the  vat,  if  it  has  beer. 


49 


Some  time  in  the  month  of  December  following, 
in  a  clear,  dry,  cool  day,  rack  it  into  a  clean  sweet 
cask,  well  scented  with  a  britnstone  match,  (if  it 
held  any  kind  of  spirit  except  good  French  bran- 
dy, the  cask  ought  to  be  well  scalded  to  take  out 
any  improper  flavour,)  fill  your  cask  to  within  an 
inch  of  the  bung,  and  then  bung  it  up  as  tight  as 
possible.  If  your  Wine  is  not  fine  and  bright  when 
you  rack  it  off,- it  will  be  best  to  put  some  fining 
into  your  cask  before  it  is  bunged  tight.  In  the 
month  of  January  or  February  following,  examine 
your  casks  again,  and  if  the  Wine  is  perfectly  fine, 
rack  it  again  into  a  well  scented  cask,  and  also  put 
a  small  portion  of  fining  into  it,  a.id  in  iho  month 
of  March  it  will  be  fit  to  bottle,  and  in  six  weeks 
afterwards  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  May  or  June 
following,  when  the  Grape  Vines  are  in  blossom, 
your  Wine  that  is  in  casks  may  again  go  throuifh  a 
slight  fermentation,  when  the  burig  ought  tci  be 
loosened  for  a  day  or  two,  and  then  either  racked 
off  into  a  clean,  well^cented  cask,  or  the   bung 

Eome  daye  fermenting  and  comes  oft"  clear,  it  will  be  best  to  bung 
it  up  tight  at  once,  having  a  spile  hole  near  the  bung  put  in 
lightly  to  prevent  the  cask  from  bursting.  For  I  find  from  close 
fermenting,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  the  Wiue  is  not  so  liable  to  run 
into  the  acetous  fermentation,  and  it  will  be  higher  flavoured. 
But  if  you  have  to  press  your  Grapes,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
leave  out  the  bung  a  few  days,  for  the  mucilage,  vegetable  ex- 
tract, or  leaven,  as  it  may  be  called,  to  escape.  J.  A. 

5 


50 


iightened  ;  and  if  it  is  drawn  off  after  this  slight 
fermentation  has  ceased,  and  if  it  has  got  a  good 
body,  it  is  then  nearly  incorruptible  ;  provided  the 
cask  has  been  seasoned  with  Brandy  or  some  other 
sound  liquor,  to  extract  all  the  vegetable  taste  or 
substance  out  of  the  cask. 

When  the  bruised  Grapes  in  yoar  vat  have  gone 
through  a  fermentation  of  from  two  to  four  days, 
the  following  process  may  be  followed,  taken  from 
a  book,  entitled  "  Remarks  on  the  Art  of  Making 
Wine,"  by  John  MaccuUock  : 

In  drawing  your  Wine  out  of  the  vat,  it  ought  to 
be  run  through  a  hair  sieve  before  you  put  it  into 
your  barrel,  <Scc.  to  get  jid  of  all  the  solid,  insolu- 
ble, or  superfluous  matters,  which  it  may  contain, 
as  those  that  are  of  use  in  the  process  have  by  this 
time  performed  their  duties,  and  as  thejr  continu- 
ance would  prove  injurious.  This  removal  is,  in 
short,  to  be  considered  in  the  further  light  of  the 
first  stage  of  racking  or  decanting;  an  operation 
of  which  the  careful  performance  is  of  prime  con- 
sequence in  the  manufacture  of  Wines.  For  this 
purpose  it  is  requisite  that  your  vat  should  be 
tapped  at  such  a  distance  from  the  bottom  as  to 
allow  the  Wine  to  flow  clear  of  that  sediment  that 
may  have  collected  at  the  lower  end  of  the  vessel. 
By  this  too,  we  are  enabled  to  stop  the  transfusion 
of  the  scum  which  has  collected  on  Ibe  surface, 
and  has  descended  so  low  as  to  be  in  danger  of 


51 

funnring  out.  It  is  peculiarly  necessary  to  attend  (o 
the  separation  of  the  scum,  as  from  exposure  to  the 
air,  it  is  not  only  apt  to  acquire  a  musty  laste,  but 
to  have  become  as  far  acid  as  to  endanger  the  in- 
troduction of  an  acetous  ferment  into  the  Wine. 
U  is  usual  in  some  of  the  Wine  countries,  to  sepa- 
rate that  portion  of  the  Wine  which  is  entangled 
in  this  solid  residium,  by  means  of  the  Wine  press  ; 
different  modes  are  resorted  to  in  disposing  of  this 
Wine.  Sometimes  it  is  mixed  with  the  Wine  that 
has  flowed  naturally,  and  at  others  it.is  reserved 
for  making  a  separate"  kind  of  Wine. 

The  refuse  of  the  press  is  abundant  in  the  Wine 
countries,  and  apphed  to  the  feeding  of  cattle,  the 
fabrication  of  brandy,  and  other  uselul  purposes. 

The  next  part  of  the  management  srfbsetjuent 
to  the  fermentation,  consists  in  the  method  of 
treating  the  Wine  in  the  casks  Although  the 
principal  part  of  the  fermentation  may  have  been 
completed  in  the  first  instance  before  it  is  drawn 
from  the  vat,  &;c.  the  liquor  still  undergoes  a  fer- 
mentation in  the  casks,  which  is  however  much 
more  languid  and  slow,  and  wh'ch  is  nevertheless 
necessary  to  its  completion.  If  this  process  be 
suffered  to  go  on  indetinitely,  in  those  Wines  of 
which  the  saccharine  principle  has  been  entirely 
overcome,  it  will  proceed  to  the  acetous  stage, 
and  vinegar  instead  of  Wine  will  be  the  ultimate 
result.     Such  is  the  natural  tendency  to  fernienta- 


52 


ion  ;  a  perpetual  progress  from  the  vineous  to 
the  acetous  ;  a  progress  which,  if  not  counteract- 
ed by  circumstances  in  the  condition  of  the  Wine 
itself,  must  be  prevented  by  artificial  expedients. 
The  circumstances  in  the  condition  of  the  Wine, 
which  prevent  this  ultimate  and  unwished  for 
change,  are,  the  disproportion  between  the  leaven 
and  the  sugar,  which  sutfers  a  part  of  the  latter 
to  remain  unchanged  after  the  process  of  vinifica- 
tion  has  been  completed,  or  a  balance  of  these 
^trinciples  sq  nice,  that  the  end  of  the  fermenta- 
tion is  accompanied  by  a  perfect  neutralization  of 
the  two  elements  which  first  concurred  to  estab- 
lish it.  This  nice  accuracy  is  perhaps  but  sel- 
dom attained,  since  the  taste  is  unable  to  detect 
the  least  portion  of  sugar,  which  is  masked  by  the 
predominant  taste  of  the  Wine,  without  neverthe- 
less ceasing  to  produce  its  effect  on  the  general 
flavour  and  quality. 

Having  thus  established  that  the  acetous  pro- 
cess will  not  often  take  place,  when  any  unchang- 
ed sugar  remains,  we  are  led  to  deduce  useful  re- 
sults for  practice.  If,  for  example,  the  Wine  is 
at  the  same  time  dry  and  light,  it  will  evidently 
tend  to  Vinegar,  unless  the  process  be  checked 
by  the  artificial  means  hereafter  described.  If^ 
on  the  contrary,  it  is  sweet  and  strong,  we  may 
be  confident  that  the  acetous  process  canno'  take 
^lace  immtdiaUly,  and  that  it  can  be  prevented 


53 


by  carefully  attending  to  the  changes  which  it 
may  undergo  during  the  further  fermentation 
which  it  may  experience  in  the  cask.  From  the 
same  principles,  we  can  also  see  how  the  addition 
of  sugar  to  Wine  in  the  cask,  the  durability  of 
which  is  suspected,  may  prevent  the  acetous  pro- 
cess from  taking  place,  although  so  far  from  af- 
fording a  reryiedy  after  it  is  commenced,  that  it  may 
■ven  tend  to  accelerate  it. 

The  fermentation  therefore  in  the  cask,  wheth- 
'ir  it  be  tliat  slow  and  insensible  one  which  is  to 
•  ollow  the  fermentation  in  the  vat,  &ic.  or  whether 
it  be  commenced  in  the  cask  itself,  will  be  gmded 
by  the  general  principles  already  laid  down.  It 
has  before  been  said,  that  the  fermentation  will 
be  diminished  and  ultimately  destroyed,  by  con- 
stantly separating  the  scum  as  it  arises,  and  that 
it  will  be  prolonged  by  returning  it  to  the  liquors. 
As  in  almost  all  the  cases  where  the  Wine  has 
been  tunned  from  the  vat,  it  is  calculated  that  the 
fermentation  is  nearly  complete,  so  it  will  be  ne- 
cessary to  separate  the  head  in  these  cases,  and 
that  IS  to  be  done  by  keeping  the  level  of  the  lluid 
so  near  the  bung-hole,  lliat  the  yeast  may  be  suf- 
fered to  escape.  If,  for  other  reasons,  w  hicli  must 
by  this  time  be  sufficiently  obvious,  it  is  to  be  de- 
sired to  prolong  the  fermentation  in  the  cask,  it 
will  be  alfected  by  the  contrary  practice,  b)  suf- 
fering it  to  subside  in  tlie  fluid,  and  continue  the 
5* 


51 


process.  This,  however,  being  seldom  necessary, 
we  may  consider  the  former  practice  as  the  most 
general  guide  for  our  operations.  During  this 
slow  fermentation,  the  Wine  undergoes  any  dimi- 
nution, which  it  is  necessary  to  remedy  by  the 
addition  of  fresh  liquor,  so  as  to  keep  it  constant- 
ly near  the  bung-hole.  The  descriptions  of  the 
modes  of  practice  followed  in  this  part  of  the  pro- 
cess in  the  most  remarkable  foreign  Wines,  will 
perhaps,  form  the  foundation  of  the  best  rules 
which  can  be  held  out  to  the  maker  of  domestic 
Wines.  It  will  be  for  him  to  consider  the  par- 
ticular species  of  Wine  which  he  is  desirous  of 
producing,  and  so  to  manage  his  operations,  as 
to  tread  as  nearly  as  circumstances  will  allow,  in 
the  path  that  has  been  followed  by  the  makers  of 
Wine.  In  making  Champaign,  the  Grapes  are 
first  squeezed  by  a  gentle  pressure,  and  poured 
into  the  vat,  where  they  remain  for  one  night 
only.  The  next  morning,  the  liquor  is  transferred 
into  casks.  If  the  Wine  is  intended  to  be  red, 
the  fermentation  is  continued  some  little  longer 
on  the  husks,  till  the  red  colour  has  been  extract- 
ed ;  but  the  seeds  are  carefully  separated,  as 
they  communicate  a  harsh  flavour.  The  first  fer- 
mentation in  the  casks  is  violent,  and  the  dis- 
charge of  the  yeast  is  encouraged  for  ten  or 
twelve  days,  by  keeping  them  lull  to  the  bung„ 
hole.     It  then  becomes  more  moderate  whentbe 


55 


"bung  is  put  down,  and  a  gimblet  hole  fitted  with 
a  spile  is  made  by  the  side  of  it.  When  the  cask 
is  thus  closed,  the  vent  hole  is  opened  every  day 
or  two,  according  to  the  state  of  fermentation,  for 
a  space  of  eight  or  ten  days,  to  allow  the  carbonic 
acid  to  escape.  When  tliis  state  is  passed, 
fresh  Wine  reserved  for  the  purpose,  is  poured  in 
at  the  vent-hole,  so  as  to  (ill  the  cask  once  a 
week,  for  the  first  three  or  four  weeks,  according 
to  its  waste.  This  operation  is  tlien  performed 
at  longer  intervals,  of  a  month  or  more,  till  the 
end  of  December,  when  the  Wine  usually  be- 
comes clear.  It  is  afterwards  decanted  from  the 
lees  into  a  fresh  cask,  where  it  is  fined  with  Isin- 
glass, in  the  proportion  of  half  an  ounce  to  a  pipe, 
and  this  process  of  decanting  is  carefully  done  in 
dry,  clear,  frosty  weather  ;  a  new  fermentation  is 
now  excited,  by  which  the  Wine  loses  a  portion 
of  its  sweetness,  and  becomes  still  further  ameli- 
orated. If  it  should  turn  out  too  sweet,  the  first 
operation  of  decanting,  until  the  fermentation  in 
the  first  cask  has  been  rendered  more  vigorous, 
which  is  done  by  stirring,  or  rolling  the  cask,  and 
by  this,  the  sweetness  is  overcome,  and  the  Wine 
strengthened  and  improved.  To  ensure  the  fine- 
ness of  this  Wine,  which  is  one  of  its  essential 
properties,  and  to  render  it  at  the  same  time  du- 
rable, it  is  at  the  end  of  six  weeks,  decanted  a 
second  time,  into  a  fresh  pipe,  and  once  more 


5(5 


fined  with  half  the  quantity  of  Isinglass.  It  is 
then  completed,  and  is  put  into  bottles  in  March; 
clear  dry  weather  being  also  chosen  for  this  pur- 
pose. Notwithstanding  all  this  care,  a  fresh  de- 
posit is  still  formed  in  the  bottles,  from  a  renew- 
ing of  the  fermenting  process  which  goes  on  in 
them.  To  remove  this,  and  render  the  Wines 
marketable,  those  of  the  best  quality  are  decanted 
clear,  into  fresh  bottles,  in  about  fifteen  or  eighteen 
months,  when  the  Wine  is  perfected.  A  certain 
loss,  amounting  to  one  or  two  in  a  dozen,  is 
sustained  by  their  explosion,  previous  to  this  last 
stage.  The  bottles  ought  to  be  well  corked,  and 
secured  wi<^^h  a  strong  pack-thread,  or  wire  and 
wax. 

I  have  thought  it  unnecessary,  to  detail  the 
many  variations  followed  hy  different  makers,  or 
for  difterent  qualities  of  Champaign  Wines  ;  the 
most  accurate  process,  being  that  from  which  the 
most  useful  lessons  are  to  be  derived.  It  is  some- 
limes  the  case,  for  example,  that  his  Wine  is  suf- 
fered to  remain  on  the  lees  for  three  or  four 
years,  but  this  only  happens  when  it  is  made  in 
cask^  of  a  very  large  size. 

In  making  the  Burgandy  Wines,  the  same  prac- 
tice is  lollowed  with  regard  to  bunging  and  vent- 
ing, great  care  also  being  taken  that  the  Wine 
be  decanted  very  clear,  oil  the  lees,  as  they  would 


57 


otherwise  re-excite  the  fermentation,  and  endan- 
ger its  convei-sion  to  Vinegar. 

The  practice  pursued  in  the  territory  round 
Bourdeaux,  does  4)ot  differ  materially  in  the  first 
instance,  from  that  of  Burgundy  ;  but  as  it  differs 
from  it  in  the  important  operation  of  sulphuring, 
I  shall  describe  it.  It  is  common  to  fill  up  the 
cask  in  about  eight  or  ten  days  from  the  time 
when  the  Wine  was  first  introduced.  The  bung 
is  lightly  put  down  at  the  end  of  a  month,  and  the 
cask  is  then  filled  every  eight  or  ten  days  while  it 
continues  to  waste  ;  when  this  no  longer  happens, 
the  bung  is.permanently  driven.  The  red  Wines 
are  decanted  about  the  end  of  March,  or  the  be- 
ginning of  April,  but  the  white,  in  December,  and 
they  are  both  subjected  to  the  process  of  sulphur- 
ing ;  of  the  theory  and  practi<je,  I  shall  havp.  oc- 
casion to  speak  at  some  length  hereafter. 

In  making  the  drier  sorts  of  Italian  Wines,  now 
scarcely  known,  the  must  is  allowed  to  undergo  a 
complete  fermentation  in  the  vat.  No  practices 
materially  different  from  the  most  ordinary  pro- 
cess, are  used  with  regard  to  these,  except  the 
following.  A  small  quantity  of  selected  half- 
dried  Grapes,  is  thrown  into  each  large  tun,  when 
the  Wine  is  finished.  But  in  making  the  sweeter 
Wines,  the  must  is  withdrawn  from  the  vat  in  five 
or  six  days,  and  put  into  the  casks,  from  whence 
it  is  shifted  rapidly,  two  or  three  times  in  succes- 


58 


uion,  so  as  te  retard  and  ultimately  stop  the  fer- 
mentation. Thus,  as  must  be  obvious  to  the 
reader,  the  Wine  is  completed,  and  retains  a  por- 
tion of  that  sugar,  which  would  otherwise  be  con- 
verted into  spirit,  and  disappear.  The  Florence 
Wine  is  perfected  hy  a  process  of  this  nature. 
For  this  wine,  the  must  is  withdrawn  from  the  vat 
as  soon  as  the  head  is  raised.  It  is  then  transfer- 
red to  the  cask  for  thirty-six  hours  only,  and  from 
this  cask  is  again  decanted  successively  three  or 
four  times,  after  intervals  of  only  a  few  hours,  by 
which  means  the  Wine  is  completed  in  a  short 
time,  80  as  to  retain  its  sweetness,  and  become 
marketable.  I  have  thought  it  right  to  detail  these 
practices  relative  to  the  Italian  Wines,  as  they 
afford  most  useful  hints  to  our  domestic  manufac- 
"iupcre,  to  whose  misplaced  •  economy  in  vessels 
and  in  the  labour  of  decanting,  is  owing  a  great 
proportion  of  their  failures,  and  of  that  uncertain- 
ty which  prevents  them  from  foretejling  the  re- 
sult of  their  labours,  however  identical,  may  be 
the  receipt  by  which  they  have  wrought. 

It  has  already  been  seen,  that  the  principle  on 
which  the  fabrication  of  sweet  Wines  depend,  is 
the  premature  stopping  of  the  fermentation,  so  as 
to  retain  in  the  W^ine  a  portion  of  unchanged 
sugar.  This  artificial  term  is  produced  by  sul- 
phuring, or,  as  just  stated,  by  frequent  racking, 
either  or  both  of  which  methods  arc  practised  in 


^9 


dinierent  countries.  The  sweetness  requisite  iu 
the  juice,  is  procured  by  a  partial  drying  of  the 
Grapes,  or  by  the  addition  of  boiled  must^  sugar, 
or  honey.  As  the  practices  of  different  places 
throw  no  additional  light  on  this  part  of  the  sub- 
ject, I  shall  be  excused  from  entering  into  further 
details  of  the  modes  practised  in  France,  Cyprus, 
Germany,  Spain,  or  the  Canaries,  for  the  manu- 
facture of  Cyprus,  Tokay,  Malmsey,  Frontignan, 
Palma,  Sack,  or  any  of  the  well  known  sweet 
Wines  of  these  countries,  since  there  is  no/nate- 
rial  variation  in  them. 

It  is  almost  equally  unnecessary,  to  detail  the 
practices  followed  wilh  regard  to  the  better 
known  and  more  popular  Wines,  Sherry,  Port,  and 
Madeira,  as  they  afford  some  examples  relative  to 
the  use  of  Brandy  in  making  Wines,  it  will  not  be 
superfluous,  to  touch  slightly  on  the  subject. 

In  the  practice  of  Oporto,  the  complete  fermen- 
tation of  the  must  takes  place  in  the  vat.  The 
Wine  is  then  introduced  into  large  tuns,  capable 
of  holding  twenty-five  pipes  each,  and  at  this 
stage,  the  Brandy  is  added  according  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  maker.  In  Madeira,  the  second, 
or  insensible  fermentation,  is  carried  on  in  pipes^ 
and  the  Wine  is  racked  from  tliem  at  the  end  of 
three  or  four  months,  at  which  time  a  portion  of 
the  Brandy  is  added.  The  remainder  is  reserv- 
ed to  be  mixed  gt  the  time  of  exportation.     The 


60 

i 

process  followed  in  making  Sherry,  is  rather  more  j 
comphcated,  and  appears  to  afford  some  ii?eful  1 
hints  relative  to  the  disposal  of  the  Brandy  , 
vvhich  fashion  has  introduced  into  the  composition 
of  this,  as  of  the  former  Wines.  The  Grapes  are 
first  slightly  dried,  and  sprinkled  with  quick  lime. 
They  are  then  wetted  with  Brandy  on  being  in- 
troduced into  the  press,  and  a  portion  of  Brandy 
is  added  to  the  must  before  the  fermentation  com- 
mences. By  this  procedure,  it  is  probable  that 
the  Brandy  is  better  enabled  to  combine  with  the 
Wine,  so  as  to  form  a  fluid  more  perfect  than 
when  it  is  merely,  as  in  former  cases,  mixed  with 
the  Wine  after  that  is  completed.  The  subse- 
quent process  consists  in  repeated  racking,  at  in- 
tervals of  a  month  or  two,  till  March  •,  Brandy 
being  added  at  each  racking. 

The  processes  of  sulphuring  Hnd  clarifying,  on 
which  I  have  slightly  touched  above,  require  to  be 
treated  more  at  length,  as  both  the  theory  and 
practice  of  these  operations,  is  intimately  connect- 
ed with  the  art  under  review. 

The  doctrines  of  fermentation,  and  the  practices 
founded  on  them  already  laid  down,  have  shown 
Hhat  this  process  has  a  tendency  to  continue  under 
favourable  circumstances,  as  long  as  the  two  chief 
agents  in  it,  namely,  sugar  and  leaven,  remain 
undecomposed  in  the  liquor.  It  has  further  been 
seen,  that  if  the  leaven  has  entirely  been  disposed 


61 


of  during  the  process,  by  becoming  insoluble  im 
the  forms  of  yeast  and  lee,  and  by  subsequent  se- 
paration, the  process  terminates  naturally,  and  the 
Wine  will,  in  this  case,  be  dry  or  sweet,  accord- 
ing to  the  proportions  of  sugar  which  may  remain 
unconverted.   It  has  also  been  proved,  that  if,  dur- 
ing the  process  of  fermentation,  the  sugar    has 
been  entirely  overcome,  while  a  portion  of  leaven 
remains  in  the  liquor,  the  process  will  go  on  un- 
til the  acetous  fermentation  takes  place.     The 
Wine  is  then  destroyed,  and  is  ultimately    con- 
verted into  Vinegar.     I  have  already,  in  describ- 
ing the  racking  of  Wines,  shown  that  its  principal 
object  is,  to  clear  the  liquor  of  its  lees,  which  con- 
-  tain  a  portion  of  the  yeast,  and   would  re-excite 
the  fermentation,  if  sufl'ered  to  mix  again  with  the 
Wine.     It  is  thus  that  turbid  Wine  maybe  always 
considered,  both  as  in  an  unfinished  anda  precarious 
state,  since  it  is  in  constant  danger  of  having  the 
fermentation  renewed,  and   consequently  of  be- 
coming ;t?ncA;erf,  as  the  term  is,  or  of  running  into 
the  first  stage  of  acetification.     A  continuation  of 
the  process  which  gives  the  pricked  taste,  converts- 
it  into  Vinegar.     This  species  of  insecurity,  aris- 
ing from  the  action  of  the  yeast,  is  prevented,  as  has 
already  been  seen,  partly  by  working  out  the  light- 
er part  of  the  yeast,  that  which  arises  in  scum 
through  the  bung-hole,  and  partly  by  the  process 
of  racking  and  clarifying.     But  neither  of  these 


62 


measures  is  capable  of  disengaging  the  Wine 
from  the  leaven,  which  it  may  hold  in  a  state  of 
solution,  since  this  portion  remains  uniformly  com^ 
bincd  with  the  clear  fluid.  A  chemical  process 
is  required  for  the  purpose,  the  object  of  which 
is  to  render  this  leaven  inactive,  by  operating  cer- 
tain chemical  changes  on  it,  of  which  the  theory 
is  perhaps,  still  obscure.  The  practice  in  com- 
mon use  for  this  end,  is  sulphuring,  but  I  shall 
consider  that,  and  some  other  means,  adequate  fo 
produce  the  same  effects,  after  I  have  enforced 
more  fully  what  I  have  already  laid  down  on  the 
subject  of  clarifying.  In  speaking  of  the  several 
particular  AVines,  I  have  stated  the  times  which 
are  chosen  for  this  purpose,  which  vary  according 
to  the  different  kinds,  but  are  rigidly  adhered  to 
by  the  Manufacturer  of  each  particular  sort.  I 
have  also  mentioned,  that  dry  cold  weather  ought 
to  be  selected  for  this  operation,  as  it  is  then  on- 
ly that  the  Wines  ate  clear.  They  are  general- 
ly turbid  in  damp  close  weather,  and  in  southerly 
winds;  and  it  is  evident,  if  they  are  then  racked, 
.1  portion  of  the  matter  will  remain  adhering  to 
the  liquor.  The  mode  in  which  this  operation  is 
performed,  is  by  no  means  indifferent,  as  by  the 
common  method  of  tapping,  it  is  scarcely  possible 
to  draw  off  the  Wine  without  mixing  a  portion  of 
the  lee  with  it.  It  it  more  effectualy  done  by 
means  of  a  syphon  introduced  at  the  bung.     But 


63 


the  most  certain  method,  is  one  similar  to  that 
practised  by  the  i  etailer  of  porter  in  drawing  the 
liquor;  namely,  the  condensation  of  air  on  its 
surface.  This  may  be  readily  performed,  without 
the  aid  of  any  complic  ited  machinery.  To  eflfect 
it,  a  cock  is  introduced  into  the  full  cask  at  the 
usual  place  of  tapping,  three  or  four  inches  above 
the  bottom,  from  which  a  leather-hose  pipe  pas- 
ses into  the  bung-hole  of  the  empty  one.  A  com- 
mon pair  of  bellows  may  then  be  so  fitted  to  the 
bung-hole  of  the  full  cask,  as  to  force,  by  its  ac- 
tion, the  whole  of  the  clear  liquor  through  the  hose 
into  the  empty  vessel.  By  this  means,  the  least 
possible  disturbance  is  created,  and  the  Wine  is  at 
the  same  time,  preserved  from  the  injurious  con- 
tact of  atmospheric  air.  But  the  mere  process 
of  racking  is  insufficient  to  clear  the  Wine  entire- 
ly. The  complete  clarification  is  only  to  be  ef- 
fected by  precipitating  the  turbid  matter  with 
those  substances  which  experience  has  proved  to 
be  possessed  of  this  power.  These  are  sand,  gyp- 
sum, fishglue,  gum,  starch,  rice,  and  alumen,  ei- 
ther in  the  form  of  whites  of  eggs,  or  the  scum 
of  blood.  Milk  is  also  possessed  of  the  same  pro- 
perty, but  in  a  degree  less  perfect.  The  substan- 
ces most  in  use,  are  isinglass  and  the  whites  of 
eggs — an  ounce  of  isinglass  is  sufficient  for  a  pipe 
of  one  hundred  and  ten  gallons  of  Wine,  and  about 
eighteen  whites  of  eggs  are  equivalent  in  effect  to 


64 


this  quantity.  Whichsoever  of  these  substances, 
is  used,  it  is  first  diluted  in  a  portion  of  the  Wine, 
and  then  strongly  agitated  with  the  whole.  After 
some  days,  when  the  Wine  has  become  clear,  it 
must  be  drawn  otf.  The  shavings  of  beech  wood 
have  the  same  effect,  but  it  is  unnecessary  to  mul- 
!iply  the  account  of  processes  after  the  simple  ones 
which  I  have  just  described  ;  and  which  are  prac- 
Mcally  so  well  known. 

The  cases  in  which  the  process  of  sulphuring 
is  required,  will  be  apparent  from  the  principles 
already  laid  down,  and  from  the  description  I  have 
given  of  the  class  of  Wines  to  which  it  is  princi- 
pally applicable,  those  of  Bourdeaux.  The  most 
simple  process  being  equally  effectual  with  the 
more  complicated  ones,  which  are  sometimes  fol- 
lowed, I  shall  content  myself  with  a  description  of 
it.  To  perform  it,  matches  dipped  in  sulphur  in- 
troduced into  the  empty  cask,  where  they  are  suf- 
fered to  burn  until  they  are  extinguished  by  the 
consumption  of  the  atmospheric  air  within  the 
vessel.  It  is  then  full  of  sulphurous  acid  gas. — 
The  Wine  is  afterwards  introduced  into  it,  and  in 
a  little  time  it  is  racked  off  in  the  usual  way.  If 
the  fermentation  should  even  after  this  be  renew- 
ed, the  process  may  be  repeated  as  often  as  re- 
quired. When  the  leaven  is  supposed  to  be  so 
abundant,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Wines  of  Bour- 
deaux, that  this  simple  and  slight  mode  of  per- 


65 


forming  the  operation  is  deenned  insufficient,  a 
larger  quantity  of  sulphurous  acid  may  be  intro- 
duced into  the  Wine,  by  pouring  it  more  gradual- 
ly into  the  cask  and  repeating  the  combustion  of 
the  match  at  several  intervals  during  the  process 
of  filling  it. 

The  theory  of  this  process  appears  to  consist  in 
a  change  produced  on  the  soluble  ferment  or  lea- 
ven, analogous  to  that  by  which  it  is  converted 
during  the  act  of  fermentation,  into  insoluble 
ferment  or  yeast.  The  Wine  becomes  turbid,  ap- 
parently from  the  precipitation  of  the  yeast,  and, 
unless  it  is  fined  and  racked,  is  still  ready  to  un- 
dergo a  renewed  fermentation.  But  when  clear- 
ed of  this  matter  by  the  above  mentioned  process,  it 
remains  unalterable.  It  is  evident  that  tlie  same 
process  applied  to  highly  saccharine  Wines  will 
tend  to  preserve  their  sweetness;  and  thus,  indeed, 
most  of  the  sweet  Wines  are  prepared.  It  will 
be  easily  understood  from  the  processes  thus 
generally  described,  how  far  the  maker  of  domes- 
tic Wines  is  capable  of  deriving  advantage  from 
them.  The  rules  are,  in  fact  so  universal,  that 
it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to  enter  into  more 
details  respecting  their  application.  But,  before  I 
quit  this  subject,  it  will  not  be  uninteresting  to 
point  out  some  methods  of  attaining  the  same  end, 
which  are  little  known,  and  perhaps  more  conve- 
nient, than  the  processes  above  described.  One  of 
6* 


66 


these  is  the  introduction  of  the  Black  Oxide  of" 
Manganese,  whose  properties  in  precipitating  the 
leaven,  are  similar  to  those  of  sulphuric  acid.  But 
a  more  ready,  and  perhaps  the  most  convenient 
process  of  all,  is  the  use  of  sulphate  of  potash,  a 
salt  easily  prepared,  or  easily  procured  from 
the  trading  Chemists.  A  very  small  quantity  of 
this  salt,  which  possesses  the  advantages  of  dura- 
bility, is  sufficient  to  answer  the  purpose.  A 
drachm,  for  example,  will  be  enough  for  a  pipe 
of  Wine.  It  commvnicates  no  taste,  and  can  rea- 
dily be  managed  with  the  greatest  accuracy,  by 
proportioning  the  quantity  to  the  particular  circum- 
stances of  the  Wme.  Makers  of  sweet-meats  will 
not  be  displeased  to  know,  that  by  the  use  of  the 
same  substance,  the  fermentation  of  syrups  and 
preserves  may  also  be  effectually  prevented. 

Two  general  matters  yet  remain  to  be  spoken 
of,  which  regard  the  practice  of  Wine  making — 
These  are  the  medication  of  Wines,  if  it  may  be 
so  called,  including  those  practices  by  which  Wines 
may  be  mixed,  corrected,  and  altered,  and  the 
means  of  remedying  those  diseases  to  which  they 
are  liable. 

The  medication  of  Wines  consists  in  altering 
the  colour,  the  flavour,  or  the  strength  of  any 
given  Wine,  or  in  so  mixing  two  or  more  together 
as  to  produce  a  compound,  differing  from,  or  su- 
perior to,  either  of  them  taken  separately. 


67 


It  is  difficult  to  give  any  rules  for  the  mixing  of 
Wines,  as  the  taste  and  experience  of  the  maker 
are  the  only  guides  to  be  depended  on.  Yet  this 
is  an  important  branch  of  the  art  of  Wine  making, 
in  Wine  countries,  and  it  is  no  less  applicable  to 
the  production  of  useful  results  in  our  domestic 
manufacture.  It  is  evident  that  a  weak  Wine 
and  a  strong  one,  a  harsh  and  a  sweet,  a  flat  and 
a  brisk  Wine,  may  be  materially  benefited,  by  mix- 
ture, and  that  the  produce  may  be  superior  to 
either  of  the  Wines  taken  separately.  By  the 
same  means,  also,  colour  and  flavour  may  be  in- 
terchanged, or  communicated  5  but  taste,  smell, 
and  practice,  are  the  guides  in  this  operation.  It 
generally  happens,  that  when  two  distinct  Wines 
are  mixed,  the  process  of  fermentation  is  partial- 
ly renewed,  or  the  mixture,  in  technical  language, 
frets.  This  observation  applies  to  a  valuable  prac- 
tice in  this  manipulation,  namely.  fretlMig  in.  tech- 
ni<:all}'so  called.  It  is  found,  by  experience,  that 
mixed  Wines  unite  into  one  durable  and  homoge- 
!!•  ous  liquor,  only  in  consequence  of  this  fermenta 
tion.  A  season  and  circumstances  are  therefore 
chosen  in  which,  one  or  both  of  the  Wines  to  be  thus 
mixed,  are  eitlier  in  a  state  of  renewed  fermenta- 
tion, or  show  a  tendenc}  to  it.  The  \'^lnes  being 
then  proportioned  according  to  the  fancy,  or  the 
experience  of  the  artist,  a  strong  fermenlation  is 
excited,  which  is  still  further  assisted  by  agitation* 


68 


When  this  process,  which  is  conducted  with  the 
precautions  formerly  laid  down  for  the  treatment 
of  close  fermentation,  is  completed,  the  Wine  has 
become  uniform,  and  is  converted  into  a  homo- 
geneous liquor,with  no  further  tendency  to  change 
than  if  it  had  originally  been  produced  by  one 
operation.  A  repetition  of  the  processes  of  fining 
and  racking,  suffice  to  perfect  it.  by  disengaging 
such  superfluous  leaven,  lee,  or  colour,  as  would 
spoil  its  appearance,  or  endanger  its  durability. 
In  the  Wine  countries,  particular  Wines  are  manu- 
factured for  the  sole  purpose  of  mixing  with  others; 
these  are  distinguished  by  their  strength,  their 
harshness,  colour,  or  flavour,  and  are  applied  ac- 
cording to  the  exigencies  of  the  case.  Peculiar 
kinds  of  Grapes  are  cultivated,  and  peculiar  man- 
agement, into  which  I  need  notenter,  resorted  to, 
for  making  those  Wines. 

The  few  properties  which  require  correction, 
are  chiefly  contained  under  the  following  heads* 

The  fault  of  excessive  sweetness  arises  either 
from  too  large  a  portion  of  sugar,  compared  with 
the  leaven,  or  from  the  imperfect  fermentation 
which  the  fluid  has  undergone.  It  is  prevented, 
if  it  arises  from  the  first  cause,  by  reducing  the 
quantity  of  sugar,  or  increasing  the  proportions 
of  leaven  and  tartar,  by  the  means  which  have 
already  been  amply  pointed  out.  If  it  proceeds 
from  the  latter  cause,  it  may  be  remedied  by  pro- 


69 


longing  the  fermentation,  of  which  the  means 
have  also  been  fully  detailed  in  other  parts  of  this 
essay. 

Another  fault  to  which  Wine  is  subject,  is  an 
excessive  sharpness.  Too  active  a  fermentation 
in  a  fluid  containing  much  of  the  vegetable  acids, 
will,  by  destro)  ing  the  whole  of  the  sugar,  lead  to 
this  fault ;  a  fault  in  almost  every  Wine,  except 
those  of  the  Hock  and  Rhine  growths,  in  which  it 
constitutes  a  valuable  feature,  from  circumstances 
yet  unexplained,  and  in  which  it  is  almost  always 
accompanied  with  uncommon  durability  :  it  is  an 
accident  to  be  expected,  when,  unripe  fruit  has 
been  used,  unless  that  has  been  counteracted 
by  corresponding  increase  of  the  saccharine  prin- 
ciple. 

Yet  it  is  a  fault,  which  should  be  pointed  out, 
sensible  as  it  is  to  those  who  know  the  value  of 
that  undelinable  light,  and  quick  flavour,  so  per- 
ceptible in  the  good  Wines  of  France,  and  which 
so  cofnpletely  disappears  under  the  treatment  by 
which  the  stronger  Wines  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
are  made  marketable  in  England. 

It  is  a  quality,  which  sometimes  arises  from  age, 
sometimes  from  the  complete  annihilation  of  the 
fermenting  process,  whether  this  has  been  the 
C()ii?equence  of  natural  causes,  or  of  too  sedulous 
a  pursuit  of  the  artificial  means  of  stopping  it; 
but  the  common  cause  of  this  evil,  is  the  admix- 


70 


ture  of  Brandy,  or  Spirits.  This  practice  is  uni- 
versal in  the  Wines  of  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Sicily, 
which  is  intended  for  exportation.  It  has  also 
been  introduced  into  the  Wines  of  other  coun- 
tries, under  the  mistaken  notion  of  pr«:-venting 
them  from  turning  sour,  and  with  the  idea,  that 
it  enabled  them  to  keep  for  a  longer  time.  As 
this  is  a  question  of  some  importance,  both  as  it 
regards  the  perfection,  and  the  economy  of  our 
manufacture,  I  shall  enter  somewhat  largely  into 
it. 

It  had  long  been  thought,  from  the  vain  at- 
tempts of  Chemists,  to  separate  the  Alcohol  which 
is  a  constituent  part  of  Wine,  by  other  chemi* 
cal  processes  than  distillation  ;  that  this  substance 
existed  in  it,  either  in  a  far  different  condition 
from  that  in  which  we  know  it,  when  in  its  sepa- 
rate state,  or  that  the  intoxicating  substance  con- 
tained in  the  Wine,  was  not  Alcohol.  This 
opinion  appears  to  have  originated  with  Rouelle, 
who  imagined  that  Alcohol  was  not  completely 
formed  until  the  temperature  was  raised  to  the 
point  of  distillation.  More  lately  the  same  doc- 
trine was  revived,  and  promulgated  by  Fabroni, 
in  the  memoir  of  the  Florentine  Academy.  His 
opinion  was  founded  on  the  following  experiment: 
when  Alcohol  is  added  to  new  Wine,  he  observed 
that  he  could  by  the  introduction  of  the  sub-car- 
bonate of  potash,  in  sufficient  quantity,  separate 


71  .4? 


•» .  ^ 


the  added  Alcohol,  while  the  spirit  of  the  Wine 
remained  attached  to  it  as  before  these  additions, 
and  could  only  be  obtained  by  subjecting  it  to 
distillation.  Hence,  he  concluded,  that  the  Al- 
cohol was  formed  by  the  action  of  heat  on  the 
elements  of  Wine,  or  that  it  was  a  product  of  dis- 
tillation. 

But  the  experiment  was  not  attended  with 
similar  results  in  the  hands  of  other  Chemists,  un- 
less in  cases  where  the  added  Alcohol  bore  a  very 
considerable  proportion  to  the  Wine,  and  it  con- 
sequently left  the  question  respecting  the  forma- 
tion of  Alcohol  in  Wine,  in  the  same  state  as  be- 
fore. I  need  not  point  out  the  laxity  so  apparent 
in  Fabroni'S  reasonings,  as  it  would  lead  to  dis- 
cussions too  minute  for  this  essay.  But  the  atten- 
tion of  other  Chemists,  has  been  excited  towards 
the  same  object,  and  conclusions,  the  reverse  of 
his,  have  been  the  consequence.  If  sub-acetate 
of  lead  be  added  to  Wine,  and  the  clear  liquor  be 
then  saturated  with  sub  carbonate  of  potash,  the 
Alcohol  will  be  separated.  It  also  appears,  from 
the  experiments  of  Gay  Lussac,  that  Alcohol  can 
be  separated  from  Wine  by  distillation,  at  the 
temperature  of  sixty-six  degrees,  and  indeed, 
from  the  trials  of  Fabroni  himself,  this  separation 
was  produced  at  sixty-three  degrees.  More  re- 
cently, by  the  aid  of  a  vacuum,  the  distillation  has 
been  effected  at  fifty-six  degrees ;  a  proof  that 


72 


Alcohol  is  not  produced  by  the  action  ot  the  heat 
required  for  boiling  Wine,  or  wash,  on  the  ele- 
ments which  these  substances  contain.  Il  must 
therefore  be  considered  as  one  of  the  eleaientary 
constituents  of  Wine  ;  and  whatsoever  pheno- 
mena it  may  therefore  present  with  re-agents,  or 
a  subject  of  chemical  enquiry,  must,  as  far  as  they 
may  differ  in  different  Wines,  arise  from  differ- 
ences in  its  mode  of  combination  with  one  or 
more  of  the  other  ingredients  which  enter  into  that 
compound  fluid.  Although,  therefore,  Alcohol  is 
ascertained  to  exist  ready  formed  in  all  Wines, 
so  much  of  the  experiment  of  Fabroni,  is  still  true 
as  to  be  an  object  of  utility  in  the  subject  we  are 
now  examining;  while  the  conclusions  to  be 
drawn  from  it  appear  of  importance  in  explaining 
the  different  effects  of  simple  Wines,  and  Wines 
in  which  Brandy  has  been  mixed.  It  is  presum- 
ing much  too  far  on  our  Chemical  knowledge,  to 
imagine  that  we  are  acquainted  with  the  nature 
of  Alcohol.  It  is  possibly  to  varieties  of  compo* 
sition,  analogous  to  those  which  are  found  in  the 
very  variable  substances  included  under  carbu- 
reted hydrogen  gas,  and  which,  although  they  have 
not  been  appreciated  by  Chemical  actions,  merely 
perhaps,  because  the  subject  has  been  supposed 
to  be  already  understood,  and  the  substance  itself 
imagined  in  all  cases  to  be  Chemically  identical, 
0)ay  be  ascertained  hereafter,  by  more  refined 


73 


experiments,  in  the  hands  of  acuter  Chemists,  te 
whom  this  subject  is  here  pointed  out,  as  calling 
for  investigation.  It  is  otherwise  impossible  to 
understand  the  differences  which  appear  in  its 
effects  on  the  nervous  system,  when  taken  into 
the  stomach  under  its  diflerent  forms.  Where  its 
specific  gravity,  and  consequently  its  imagined 
condition  is  in  different  specimens,  absolutely 
equal,  yet  these  specimens,  produced  under  dif- 
ferent circumstances,  operate  on  the  nervous  -;ys- 
tem  in  a  manner  so  totally  different,  as  to  point  out 
some  radical  differences  of  which  specific  gravity 
is  no  criterion.  The  comparative  effects  of  new 
and  old  Rum,  of  equal /)roq/",  of  Dutch  Gin,  and 
of  diluted  Alcohol,  of  equal  strength,  are  too  well 
known,  to  require  more  than  a  bare  men<ion.  ft 
has  been  supposed,  for  want  of  better  nieans  of 
explaining  these  effects,  that  they  were  due  to  the 
essential  oil  contained  in  the  different  varieties  of 
Spirits  used  as  a  beverage.  But  of  these  we  know 
nothing.  We  are  sure  that  they  are  very  trilling 
in  quantity,  since  they  cannot  be  separated  by 
water,  except  in  the  single  case  of  Gin,  where  a 
foreign  oil  is  purposely  introduced.  Neither  are 
we  acquainted  with  any  oils  of  this  class,  whose 
qualities  are  deleterious,  except  that  of  the  bitter 
kernels,  their  analogous  kindred  to  laurel,  and  a 
few  other  bitter  vegetables,  whose  poisonous 
qualities  besides,  appear  to  be  subject  to  no 
7 


74 


modification,  ^eing,  where  not  deadly,  almost  un- 
productive of  any  eifects.  Moreover  that  spirit, 
Alcohol,  from  which,  by  careful  rectification,  the 
essential  oil  seems  to  have  been  most  carefully  re- 
moved, is  more  injurious  than  those  which,  like 
Rum  and  Brandy,  are  known  to  contain  it. 

Dilution  does  not  remove  Ihe  injurious  efiects 
of  these  noxious  spirits.     When  Spirit  of  any  sort 
is  mixed  with  water,  it   requires  some  little  time 
to  effect  the  union  of  the  two  substances  ;  they  ul- 
timately become  combined.     Yet  the  effect  of  one 
kind  of  spirit,  although  combined  with  water,  is 
still  different  from  that  of  the  other  on  the  human 
body.     They  are  both  very  different  from  that  of 
pure  Wine,  in  which  chemical  reagents  or  distilla- 
tion have  ascertained  precisely  the  same  propor- 
tion of  Alcohol.     In  olher  words,  the  same  quan- 
tity of  Alcohol  applied  to  the  stomach  under  the 
form  of  Wine,  and  in  a  state  of  mere  combination 
with  water,  is  productive  of  effects  on  the   body, 
not  only  immediately,   but   ultimately  attended 
with  considerable  differences.     These  are  well 
known   to   physicians.     They   are  equally   well 
known  to  those  whose  habits  of  observation,  ei- 
ther on  themselves  or  others,  have  led  them  to 
compare  the  moral  effects,  if  we  may  so  term  them, 
produced  by  intoxication  with  different  Wines,  with 
Champaign  and  Claret,  or  with  Port  or  Sherry  ; 
the  elevation  of  thought  produced  by  the  former, 


75 


with  the  sedative  effects  of  tlie  latter  ;  or  who  have 
had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  stupidity 
produced  hy  ale,  and  the  ferocity  which  results 
from  intoxication  with  spirits.  The  nervous  sys- 
tem is  here  a  test  of  differences  which  ehide  the 
ordit.ary  resources  of  chenriistry.  Yet  the  rea- 
geiits  winch  liave  been  applied  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  these  differences,  although  they  have  done 
litile,  still  show  that  some  chemical  distinctions 
may  really  exist.  It  has  been  perhapshastily  said  of 
Fabbrioni's  experiment,  that  it  was  useless,  since 
it  produced  no  con>>istent  result.  On  the  contrary, 
it  appears  to  be  a  test  applicable  to  some  of  the 
least  tenacious  combinations  of  Alcohol,  and  the 
censure  unjustly  passed  on  it,  has  originated  in 
want  of  attention  to  the  subject,  and  to  those  de- 
licate circumstances  in  the  combinations  of  Alco- 
hol, on  which  its  various  effects,  as  it  exists  in  Wine 
and  other  potable  liquors,  depend.  Could  we  dis- 
cover an  additional  number  of  reagents  differing 
from  their  various  powers  of  separating  the  differ- 
ent combinations  under  which  it  is  found,  I  have 
little  doubt  that  chemical  means  would  shortly  il- 
lustrate, by  corresponding  ditferences  of  effect, 
the  different  powers  which  these  beverages  exert 
on  the  nervous  system.  The  experiment  of  Fab- 
brioni  is  perfectly  valid  to  a  certain  extent,  and 
the  causes  of  the  supposed  irregular  results,  appear 


76 


to  be  abundantly  obvious.  If  Alcohol  be  mixed 
with  water  in  any  proportion,  it  may  be  separated 
bj  carbonate  of  potash.  If  it  be  mixed  with  Wine, 
m  the  same  manner,  it  is,  with  due  attention  and 
in  particular  circumstances,  equally  separable. 
But  if  an  attempt  be  made  to  separate  the  adven- 
ritious  Alcohol  from  these  Wines,  to  which  it  has 
heen  added  by  the  manufacturer,  the  experiment 
will  sometimes  succeed  and  sometimes  fail.  The 
cause  is  mentioned  in  various  parts  of  this  essay, 
and  is  apparently  this :  If  the  Alcohol  or  Brandy 
be  added  before  the  fermentation  of  the  Wine,  or 
at  some  subsequent  stage  when  that  fermentation 
can  be  artificially  re-excited,  it  then  enters  either 
entirely  or  partially  into  a  more  perfect  combina- 
tion with  the  Wine  than  that  which  it  foi*ms  after  a 
mere  admixture  ;  or  a  portion  of  it  at  least,  pro- 
portioned to  the  degree  of  fermentation  which 
takes  place  after  its  addition,  becomes  thus  com- 
bined. Here  the  test  indicated  by  Fabbrioni  fails, 
although  reagents  of  higher  powers  are  still  capa- 
ble of  effecting  the  separation.  In  all  such  cases 
the  Wine  is  imperfectly  vineous,  the  Brandy  being 
almost  alway  sensible  to  delicate  palates,  and  its 
effects  on  the  stomach  are  proportionably  inju- 
rious. The  test  is  therefore  of  real  use  in  ascer- 
taining the  correct  fabrication  of  those  Wines  to 
which  Brandy  is  added,  and  it  will  invariably  be 


77 


found  that  the  worst  Wines  of  the  growth  of  Por- 
tugal and  Spain  are  those  which  are  the  most  sen- 
sible to  it ;  or  in  other  words,  those  which  contain 
the  greatest  quantity  of  uncombined  Alcohol.  But, 
to  return  to  the  consequences  which  arise  in  the 
liquor  itself  from  the  admixture  of  Alcohol — It  de- 
composes the  JVine.  However  slow  the  decompo- 
sition may  appear,  they  are  not  the  less  certain, 
rhe  first  and  most  conspicuous  effect,  is  the  loss 
of  that  undefinable,  lively  or  brisk  flavour,  which 
all  those  who  possess  accuracy  of  taste  can  disco- 
ver in  French  Wines,  or  in  natural  Wines  ;  and  a 
Hatness,  which  must  be  sensible  by  the  principle 
of  contrast  to  the  dullest  palate  which  shall  com- 
pare the  taste  of  Claret  with  that  of  Port,  or  that 
of  Hock  or  Grave,  with  that  of  Lisbon  or  Bucellos. 
It  tends  equally,  although  in  a  greater  length  of 
time,  to  destroy  the  union  of  the  colouring  princi- 
ple, which  is  well  known  to  be  deposited  in  Port 
Wines,  and  apparently  in  a  great  measure  from  the 
action  of  this  foreign  substance.  It  ma}  not  be  use- 
lessatthesametime,toconsidertheinllueuce  winch 
it  must  have  on  the  quality  of  the  Wme  as  a  beverage. 
The  habitual  use  of  Wine  containing,  as  many  of 
the  Wines  of  Portugal  so  often  do,  a  large  portion 
of  Brandy,  must  be  manifestly  equivalent  to  the 
habitual  use  of  Spirits  and  Wine  together.  To 
this  cause  we  may  doubtless  attribtite  the  great 
7* 


78 


(liflference  ituthe  effects  produced  by  an  immode- 
rate indulgence  in  Port  and  Sherry,  or  by  a  simi- 
lar use  of  Claret  and  other  French  Wines.  Even 
the  immediate  effects  are  sensibly  different,  "as  I 
have  said  before,  and  the  transitory  nature  of  the 
one,  with  the  permanence  of  the  other,  are  too 
well  known  to  be  insisted  on.  But  the  ultimate 
consequences  appear  .to  be  of  a  more  serious  na- 
ture. It  is  well  known  to  physicians  that  diseases 
of  the  liver  are  the  most  common  and  the  most 
formidable  of  those  produced  by  the  use  of  Spirits. 
It  is  equally  certain  that  no  such  disorders  follow 
the  temperate  use  of  pure  Wine,  however  long 
indulged  in  ;  and  to  this  cause,  the  concealed  and 
unwiting  consumption  of  Spirit,  as  it  is  contained 
in  the  Wines  commonly  drank  in  this  country,  is 
doubtless,  to  be  attributed  the  excessive  and  in- 
creasing prevalence  of  hepatic  affections,  diseases 
comparatively  little  known  on  the  continent  of 
Europe.  It  is  sufficient  to  have  touched  on  this 
most  important  subject,  on  which  the  proposed 
limits  of  the  present  e-say  will  not  allow  me  to 
dwell.  It  is  more  to  my  present  purpose  to  show, 
that  the  use  of  Brandy  in  the  manufacture  of  Wine 
is  founded  on  a  mistaken  principle.  Having  shown 
that  it  is  injurious  to  Wine  in  general,  by  destroy- 
ing its  livelitiess,  and  hastening  its  decomposition. 
J  might  strengthen  this  assertion  by  mentioning 


'9 


that  it  is  not  used  in  any  of  the  Wines  o(  France  or 
Germany^  and  that  the  finer  Wines,  Claret,  Bur- 
gundy, and  Hock,  are  totally  destroyed  by  it.  But 
it  is  also  proper  to  point  out  its  insufficiency  for 
producing  the  effects  expected  from  it,  the  preser- 
vation of  the  Wine,  and  the  retardation  of  the 
acetous  process.  The  reader  is  here  reminded 
that  the  acetous  process  cannot  take  place  while 
there  exists  between  the  leaven  and  the  sugar  a 
disproportion  in  favour  of  the  latter,  and  that  the 
fermentation  cannot  be  re-excited  if  the  leaven 
has  been  entirely  separated  by  the  usual  process 
of  racking,  fining,  and  sulphuring,  should  even 
the  sugar  have  disappeared.  Such  Wines  can 
have  no  tendency  to  vinegar,  and  (he  addition  of 
Brandy,  if  intended  to  prevent  that  effect,  is  at 
least  superfluous.  It  is  now  to  be  enquired  whe- 
ther Brandy  has  any  power  to  prevent  the  acetous 
process  from  taking  place,  supposing  that  the  cir- 
cumstances favourable  to  it  are  present.  If  Bran- 
dy in  small  quantity  be  introduced  into  vinegar 
during  the  acetous  stage  of  feimentation,  the  pro- 
cess goes  on  as  before,  and  the  Alcohol  is  aceti- 
fied, the  produce  becoming  a  stronger  vinegar. 
This,  has  been  lately  denied  by  Mr.  Cadet,  in 
whose  hands  the  addition  of  Alcohol  in  small  quan- 
tities appears  to  have  had  no  effect  on  the  acetous 
process.     From  his  experiments  it  would  alsoap- 


80 


pear,  that  the  addition  of  Alcohol  in  a  quantity  ex 
ceeding  one  seventeenth  of  the  fluid,  suspends  the 
acetification.  In  the  state  of  ignorance  in  which 
we  are  respecting  the  chemical  nature  of  that 
process,  it  does  not  appear  easy  to  reconcile  these 
contradictory  experiments.  Admitting  that  the 
experiments  of  Mr.  Cadet  are  unexceptionable,  it 
remains  certain  that  Wine  can  be,  and  daily  is, 
brought  into  the  acetous  fermentation  by  proper 
treatment,  or  under  natural  circumstances,  al- 
though containing  a  far  greater  proportion  of  Al- 
cohol, than  that  which  appeared  to  him  sufficient 
to  suspend  the  process.  It  is  certainly  possible 
that  the  state  of  combination  above  described,  in 
which  the  Alcohol  exists  in  the  Wine,  may,  when 
cpntrasted  by  the  mere  mixture  which  may  pos- 
sibly take  place  in  his  experiment,  account  for 
this  difference  of  effect  ;  or  it  may  even  happen 
that  the  action  of  Alcohol  on  a  process  already 
commenced,  may  be  sufficient  to  account  for  the 
difference  ;  the  same  Alcohol  applied  before  the 
commencement  of  the  process  being  susceptible 
of  the  incipient  changes,  and  being  thus  ultimate- 
ly capable  of  entering  into  the  final  ones  in  com- 
mon with  the  rest  of  the  fluid.  But  this  subject 
is  very  obscure. 

I  must  therefore  proceed  in  the  examination 
of  this  subject,  on  the  basis  of  former  experience, 
omitting  any  exceptions  to  be  drawn  from  theic 


81 


experiments,  as  being  for  the  present  incapable 
of  application  ;  the  more  so,  that  they  do  not  ap- 
pear strictly  applicable  to  the  case  under  review, 
the  prevention  of  the  change  of  Wine  to  Vinegar. 
If  Biandy  and  Milk  are  mixed  together, the  acetous 
process  establishes  itself  speedily,  and  the  pro- 
duce is  Vinegar.  We  have  here  an  ample  proof 
that  Brandy,  in  these  cases,  so  far  from  checking 
the  acetous  process,  increases  it ;  and  therefore, 
that  its  use,  as  a  preservative  of  Wine,  is  founded 
in  error.  I  have  dwelt  the  more  on  this  subject, 
because  this  view  is  opposed  to  all  popular  opin- 
ions and  practices,  opinions  most  assuredly  lound- 
ed  on  erroneous  and  vague  analogies,  drawn  from 
some  supposed  preservative  power,  residing  in 
spirits.  1  am  the  more  particular  in  calling  to 
this  subject,  the  attention  of  those  who  may  engage 
in  the  manufacture  of  Wines,  because  a  notion  h 
prevalent,  that  Wines  cannot  exist  without  this 
ad-mixture.  The  effect  on  the  contrary,  is  to  de- 
stroy the  briskness  of  Wines,  while  it  increases 
the  expense  and  diminishes  their  salubrity.  If 
taste  or  prejudice  require  that  Wine  should  be 
stronger  than  it  can  be  made  naturally,  or  if,  for 
temporary  purposes,  it  is  desirable  to  mix  Brandy 
with  Wine,  it  may  be  done,  but  under  certain  re- 
strictions which  I  shall  presently  point  out,  when 
I  have  occasion  to  speak  of  the  diseases  incident 
to  Wine,  and  their  remedies. 


82 


The  last  remarkable  quality  in  Wine,  which  may 
err  in  excess  or  defect,  is  its  briskness.  The  cause 
of  briskne&s,  which  is  in  general  a  desirable  quality, 
has  already  been  shewn  to  consist  in  a  forcible  re- 
straint of  the  carbonic  acid  by  the  pressure  of  the 
cork,  care  being  taken  to  bottie  the  Wme  before 
the  fermentation  has  entirely  ceased.  The  mode 
of  managing  this,  has  been  fully  pointed  out  when 
describing  the  process  used  in  Champaiiin.  Yet 
I  may  add,  that  briskness  in  Wine  will  always  bt 
better  ensured,  if  a  portion  of  the  fruit  used  be  in 
an  unripe  state.  The  period  of  bottling,  has  a 
considerable  effect  on  this  property.  That  which 
'^  bottled  in  the  month  of  March,  immediately 
following  the  Autumn  in  which  it  was  made,  pos- 
sesses it  in  the  greatest  degree.  If  delayed  till 
August,  it  will  still  mantle,  but  when  bottled  either 
in  the  intermediate  Summer  months,  or  in  the 
cold  of  Winter,  it  is  subject  t6  lose  this  tendency. 
It  may  be  prevented  by  racking  and  sulphuring, 
since  it  is  obvious  that  whatever  destroys  the  pow- 
er of  fermenting,  must  also  destroy  this  propensity 
to  froth. 

I  have  often  said,  and  it  is  almost  superfluous 
to  repeat  it,  that  Wines  made  from  fluids  whose 
composition  we  can  command,  may  be  produced 
©f  any  degree  o1^  strength,  merely  by  a  due  pro- 
portion of  sugar,  and  a  proper  management  of  the 
fermentation.  I  have  also  pointed  out  the  bad 
consequences  which  follow  the  admixture  of  Bran- 


i 


83 


dy  or  Spirits  with  Wine.     Yet  it  is  difficult  to 
overcome  established  practices;    I  think  it  right 
to  describe  the  mode  in   which   Brandy   may  be 
added  to  Wines  with  the  least  possible  injury,when 
it  is  desired  to  render  them  stronger — I  have  fully 
shewn,  that  this  is,  in  fact,  the  only  effect  which  Spi- 
rits are  capable  of  producing.    If  Brandy  be  added 
to  any  Wine  after  it  is  completed,  it  merely  pro- 
duces a  mixture,  in  which  Brandy  is  not  only  gen- 
erally to  be  distinguished  by  an  accurate  palate, 
but  in  which  all  the  evil  effects  I  before  pointed 
out,  are  most  conspicuous.     To  render  this  mix- 
ture more   complete  and  less  injurious,  it  should 
be  made  while  the  process  of  fermentation  is  still 
going  on.    The  most  convenient  time  will  be,  dur- 
ing the  insensible  fermentation,  which  takes  place 
in  the  cask.     By  this  method,  a  portion  at  least 
of  the  added  Spirit,  enters  into  permanent  combi- 
nation with  the  Wine,  in  consequence  of  its  having 
undergone  the  action  of  the  fermenting  process  ; 
and  the  injury  to  the  quality  of  the  Wine  is  the 
least  possible.     If  the  wish  to  add  Brandy  should 
not  have  risen  until  after  the  Wine  is  completed, 
it  should  then  be  managed  in  the  way  already  re- 
commended for  mixing  different  Wines  ;  namely, 
by  the  process  technically  CAWed  fretting-in.  That 
the  time  of  the  year  should  be  chosen  when  Wine 
is  inclined  to  fret  or  to  renew  its  fermentation, 
which  process  can  be  aided  by  stirring  up  the  lees 


84 


bj  heat  or  by  rolling.  The  Brandy  being  then 
added,  a  more  iritimate  union  of  the  two  is  pro- 
duced, than  could  have  been  procured  in  the  com- 
mon way.  I  may  add,  that  this  practice  is  well 
known  to  Wine-coopers. 

The  last  of  the  minor  objects,  connected  with 
the  art  of  Wine-making,  are  the  remedies  appli- 
cable to  this  fluid,  under  the  various  diseased  al- 
terations of  which  it  is  susceptible. 

Sweet  Wines  and  strong,  are  so  little  liable  to 
morbid  changes,  that  the  few  rules  I  have  to  give 
respecting  them,  may  never  be  wanted.    Yet  as 
they  will  serve  to  complete  these  general  views 
of  the  subject,  and  to  render  the  manufacturer 
more  completely  master  of  his  art,  I  shall  mention 
the  little  whicli  is  known  on  this  head.     The  de- 
licate and  thin  Wines  are  those  most  subject  to 
change.    In  these,  the.renewal  of  the  fermentation 
is  always  to  be  feared  under  change  of  place  and 
temperature ;  leads,  as  I  have  already  shewn,  to 
the  acetous  process,  and  thus  to  the  destruction  of 
the  Wine.    This  process  once  begun,  is  difficultly^ 
checked  ;  it  may  be  suspended  or  concealed,  but 
the  Wine  is  still  irreparably  injured.     It  can  only 
be    prevented    by  diligent  and  careful  apphca- 
tion  of  the  pi*ocesses  of  sulphuring,  fining,  racking, 
already  so  fully  described.     Among  these,  let  the 
Wine-maker  always  bear  in  mind,  that  fineness  in 
Wine,  is  not  merely  a  quality  intended  to  please 


8d 


the  eye,  but  that  it  is  essential  to  the  durability  of 
the  liquor.  I  have  already  pointed  out  as  ruces- 
sary  to  the  prevention  of  ascecents  in  Wine,  (hat 
some  saccharine  matter  should  remain  in  it  unde- 
composed.  In  this  case,  it  cannot  easily  run  into 
the  acetous  state.  The  addition  of  a  small  quan- 
tity of  sugar  to  the  VV^ine,  of  which  the  durability 
is  suspected,  either  in  the  cask  or  in  bottling,  ope- 
rates on  this  principle  in  preserving  it.  This 
practice  is  common  in  the  poorer  Wines  of  Cham- 
paign, and  it  is  found  to  be  effectual.  The  sugared 
Wiiies  of  Champaign  are  distinguishable  by  good 
judges  ;  not,  hozoevcr,  simply  because  they  are  su- 
gared, but  because  this  addition  is  only  made  to  the 
Wines  of  inferior  quality.  Boiled  must  is  used  in 
many  Wine  countries ;  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  Greece, 
for  example,  with  the  same  views.  The  degrees 
of  ascecency  is  most  common  in  weak  Wines,  in 
which  the  tendency  to  Vinegar  is  always  great,  al- 
though the  Vinegar  which  they  yield  is  necessarily 
weak.  It  is  also  common  to  those  which  contain 
much  extractive  matter,  and  which,  under  other 
circumstances,  are  apt  to  turn  ropy.  On  the  con- 
trary principle,  it  is  impossible  to  convert  into  Pine- 
gar,  those  IVines  from  zohich  the  whole  of  the  ex- 
tractive matter  has,  by  age,  or  other  causes,  beeti 
precipitated-  It  is  further  proper  to  remark,  that 
the  contact  of  atmospheric  air  is  necessary  to 
acetification,  and  that  is  consequently  to  be  re- 
8 


86 


vented  by  an  absolute  exclusion  of  this  substance, 
such  as  may  be  effected  in  bottles  perfectly  full, 
and  properly  sealed.  Change,  and  increase  of  tem- 
perature, are  also  favourable  to  this  morbid  pro- 
cess, and  for  these,  the  obvious  remedy  is  the  uni- 
form low  temperature  of  a  good  cellar.  A  con- 
sideration of  these  circumstances,  will  teach  us 
how  the  disease  may  be  prevented.  It  is  another 
matter  to  know  how  it  is  to  be  corrected,  when  it 
has  taken  place. 

By  means  of  sweets,  the  acid  taste,  if  not  in 
excess,  may  be  palliated.  But  it  can  only  be  re- 
moved by  such  substances  as  neutralize  and  de- 
stroy it.  For  this  purpose,  the  alkalies  and  the 
alkaline  earths  have  been  used.  As  the  alkalies 
form  soluble  salts  with  Vinegar,  they  are  apt  to 
communicate  a  disagreeable  saline  taste,  which 
may  be  avoided  by  substituting  chalk  or  lime,  of 
which  the  produce  is  nearly  insoluble,  and  may  be 
separated  bjf  fining.  It  is  well  known,  that  lead 
in  different  forms,  has  frequently  been  employed 
for  this  purpose  ;  but  the  practice  being  attended 
with  dangerous  consequences,  is  now  obsolete.  It 
is  proper,  however,  to  know  that  there  are  three 
substances  to  which  Wine  may  be  indebted  for  ex- 
cessive acidity  •,  the  tartarous,  malic,  and  acetic 
acids.  Of  these,  the  two  first  form  compounds 
with  the  acetic  acid,  which  are  nearly  insoluble, 
and  which  may  consequently  be  separated  by  fin- 


87 


Jiig.  The  acetate  of  lead  alone  is  soluble,  and  in 
small  quantities  may  be  taken  without  inconveni- 
ence. It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  substance 
formed  by  immersing  metallic  lead  in  Wine 
whichcontains  Vinegar,  is  either  the  subacetate  or 
ceruss,  the  latter  being  a  substance  productive  of 
well-known  diseases,  but  from  its  weight,  incapa- 
ble of  being  permanently  suspended  in  the  \Vine. 
In  attempting  to  diminish  the  apprehensions  that 
have  been  entertained  on  this  point,  I  am  far  from 
recommending  this  remedy,  since  it  is  less  effica- 
cious than  time,  and  cannot  be  considered  free 
from  danger. 

Ropiness  is  the  next  disease  to  which  thin  Wines 
are  particularly  liable  :  It  occurs  in  those  which 
contain  a  good  deal  of  extractive  matter,  and  ap- 
pears to  result  from  the  action  of  oxygen  on  the 
soluble  extract,  converting  it  into  an  insoluble  one, 
somewhat  analogous  to  tibrine.  The  mother,  as 
it  is  called,  of  Vinegar,  seems  to  originate  from 
similar  causes.  This  disease  may  be  cured,  by 
exposing  the  bottles  in  which  it  has  taken  place, 
to  the  sun  and  air,  by  agitating  and  subse- 
quently uncorking  them,  by  a  small  quantity  of 
vegetable  acid,  and  by  fining. 

The  last  disease  of  Wine,  is  a  taste  of  mustiness 
derived  from  the  cask  or  cork,  a  disease  to  be 
prevented  by  proper  precautions  in  the  selections 
of  the  vessels,  but  scarcely  to  be  cured. 


88 


I  have  now  finished  all  that  I  proposed  to  saj. 
©n  the  general  principles  of  Wine-making,  with- 
out a  knowledge  of  which,  every  attempt  to  ame- 
liorate, or  even  correctly  to  practice  that  branch 
ef  the  art,  which  alone,  is  piacticable  in  our  coun- 
try, would  be  vain. 

As  there  are  thousands  of  bushels  of  Grapes 
growing  wild  oyer  the  whole  face  of  our  country, 
particularly  to  the  southward,  I  shall  make  no 
apology  for  giving  the  following  extract  from 
M'Cullock,  on  Wine  making. 

"  It  is  the  object  of  this  essay,  to  show  that  the- 
making  of  good  Wine  from  Grapes  of  British 
growth,  does  by  no  means  depend  on  their  matu- 
ration, and  that  this  is  not  a  necessary  circum- 
stance. The  process  of  making  Wine  from  Grapes 
vvill  be  reduced  to  a  much  narrower  question,  if  we 
can  succeed  in  making  it  at  all  times,  unchecked 
by  seasons  or  accidents,  A  Vineyard  may  be 
conducted  with  almost  as  little  care  as  a  goose- 
berry, or  currant  garden,  with  the  certainty  of  a 
constant  produce,  applicable  to  the  purposes  in 
view;  and  it  will  be  in  every  one's  power  in  al- 
most any  situation.  However  precarious  the 
ripening  of  the  Grape  may  be,  its  produce  is  not 
go.  W^e  are  sure  of  an  annual  crop  of  Grapes, 
but  not  of  an  annual  crop  of  ripe  ones." 

A  compound  and  artificial  must^  can  be  fabri- 
cated froH»   due  mixtures  of  sugar,  with  the  ex- 


89 


tractive  matter  and  saline  substances  of  fruits, 
capable  of  undergoing  a  regular  fermentation, 
and  of  forming  good  and  perfect  Wine.  The 
case  is  as  applicable  to  the  Grapes,  as  to  the 
gooseberry,  or  currant.  Long  ago,  experiments 
were  made  in  France,  by  several  Chemists,  with 
green  Grapes  and  sugar,  and  with  complete  suc- 
cess. I  have  repeated  these  experiments,  and 
varied  them  with  the  best  effects.  The  produce 
has  varied  with  the  management,  and  the  results 
of  the  trials  have  been  Wines  resembling  Cham- 
paign, Grave,  Rhenish,  and  Moselle,  and  of  quali- 
ties so  perfect  that  the  best  judges  and  Wine 
tasters  have  not  been  able  to  distinguish  them 
from  foreign  Wines.  The  Grapes  may  be  used 
in  any  state,  however  immature.  When  even 
half  grown  and  perfectly  hard,  they  succeed  com- 
pletely. It  is  evident  that  Wines  made  on  this 
principle,  will  be  more  expensive  than  when  made 
from  ripe  Grapes,  as  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sugar 
must  be  used  to  compensate  for  the  deficiency  of 
the  natural  sugar  of  the  Grape.  But  even  then, 
they  are  not  more  costly  than  currant  and  goose- 
berry Wines,  while  at  the  same  time,  their  supe- 
riority is  beyond  all  comparison.  The  hardest 
Grapes  will  produce  a  Wine  of  the  strength  of 
White  Hermitage,  with  a  proportion  of  three 
pounds  of  sugar  to  the  gallon  ;  and  the  expense 


90 


will  be  trifling,  compared  to  the  value  of  the  pro- 
duce. 

It  might  be  supposed,  that  these  Wines  would 
necessarily  be  devoid  of  flavour.  But  this  is  by 
no  means  the  case,  since  ail  the  specimens  which 
were  under  my  direction,  were  characterised  by 
flavour  as  genuine  and  decided  as  those  of  the 
foreign  Wines  to  which  they  approximated.  I 
have  little  doubt,  under  due  management,  on  a 
large  scale,  and  with  sufiicient  age.  Wines  of  the 
Hock  quality  could  be  equally  well  produced  here 
in  the  same  way. 

Many  trials  must  yet  be  made  before  we  can 
hope  to  appreciate  the  extent  of  our  resources  in 
this  manufacture.  It  is  more  than  probable,  that 
different  Grapes,  even  in  their  immature  state, 
would  produce  different  Wines  ;  but  these  trials 
must  be  left  to  the  efforts  of  individuals,  and  to 
the  necessarily  slow  progress  of  experiment. 

With  regard  to  the  management,  it  must  be 
founded  on  the  operations  followed  in  the  Wine 
countries,  and  of  which  a  sufticieiitly  full  account 
for  all  purposes  of  practice,' has  already  been 
given.  It  is,  in  the  (irst  place,  obvious,  that  the 
Grapes  should  be  suffered  to  remain  on  the  Vines  ■ 
while  there  is  any  hope  of  gaining  an  accession 
either  of  strength  or  sweetness.  They  should 
then  be  carefully  «eparat"l  from  ihe  stem*  ;  those 
which  are  rotten,  or  mouldy,  should  be  at  the 


91 


same  time  rejected.  Some  judgment  will  be  re- 
quired ill  proportioning  the  fruit  to  the  water  in 
the  first  instance,  and  to  the  sugar  in  the  second. 
I  have  before  said,  that  the  Grape  when  ripe,  con- 
sists of  sugar,  combined  with  vegetable  extractive 
matter,  or  the  fermenting  principle,  and  certain 
salts,  besides  the  astringent  and  flavouring  matter. 
As  the  colour  is  not  developed  in  the  immature 
Grape,  it  need  not  be  noticed  here.  But  the 
proportions  of  these  ingredients  vary  materially, 
accqrdmg  to  the  state  of  maturity  of  the  fruit. 
As  a  great  part  of  the  saline  and  other  constitu- 
ents of  the  Grape,  appear  to  be  converted  into 
sugar  during  the  process  of  maturation,  it  is  plain 
that,  weight  for  weight,  there  will  be  more  of 
these  principles  contained  in  the  immature,  than 
in  the  mature  fruit.  To  form  therefore  a  7)iust, 
of  such  quality  as  shall  resemble  the  natural 
7m(st  of  ripe  fruit,  it  is  necessary  that  water 
should  be  added  to  the  immature  juie^  for  the 
purposes  of  diluting,  and  thus  diminishing  the 
proportions  of  those  saline  matters,  which  would 
otherwise  confer  on  the  Wine  a  degree  of  harsh- 
ness, difficult  to  overcome. 

As  it  is  impossible  to  give  positive  rules  to 
meet  the  infinitely  varying  and  undefinable  de- 
grees of  maturity,  in  which  the  Grape  may  be 
used,  and  as  such  rules  would  in  fact  but  ttiid  to 
mislead,  I  shall  content  myself  in  laying  down 


92 


some  general  principles,  leaving  the  application 
to  the  iiig.  nuit)'  and  observation  of  the  operator. 
If  the  object  be  to  produce  Wine  which  shall 
resemble  Champaign,   or    the    White  Wines    of 
Bordeaux,  a  small  proportion  of  crude  Grapes 
■will  be  required.     Grapes  barely  halt  grown,  re- 
quire, for  the  production  of  Wines  of  this  class, 
to  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  equality  to  waler. 
If  they  are  more  grown,  the  proportion  of  Grapes 
may  be  increased  ;  if  less,  it  may  be  diminished. 
If  ihe   intention    is  to   make  a  Wine  resembling 
Hock,  the  proportion  of  Grapes  must  be   materi- 
ally increased,  and  the  Wine  then,  harsh,  austere, 
and  not  drinkable,  when  new,  will  by  a  few  years 
residence  in  the  cask,  undergo  that  amelioration, 
which  time  alone  can  give.     To  the  proportions 
which  I   have  described,    varying   quantities  of 
sugar   may  be  applied.       A   proportion  of  two 
pounds  to  the  gallon  of  mixture,  will  yield  a  very 
light  Wine  of  no  great  durability,  resembling  (un- 
der the  proper  treatment)  the  inferior  classes  of 
Champaign  Wines.     An  increase  of  the  sugar  to 
three  pounds,  will  yield  a  Wine  equal  in  strength 
to  the  best  sorts  of  Champaign,  or  if  fermented 
to  dryness,   to  the  strongest  of  the  White  Wines 
of  Bordeaulc.     Larger  doses  of  sugar  will  doubt- 
less yield  Wines  of  different  qualities,  but  of  such 
proportions,  1  cannot  speak  from  experience.     I 
may  only  caution  the  operator  who  shall  under- 


93 


take  these  trials,  that  larger  quantities  of  sugar, 
require  larger  proportions  of  fruit ;  if  it  be  his  in- 
tention to  work  the  Wine  to  dr)  ness,  as  the  quan- 
tity of  fruit  above  mentioned,  is  but  barely  sufli- 
eient  to  convert  the  proportion  of  three  pounds 
above  named.  With  regard  to  the  durability  ol 
these  Wines,  I  may  add,  that  I  have  kept  them 
for  seven  years,  and  all  that  time  with  evident 
improvement.  I  should  consider  them  as  little 
liable  to  destruction,  as  Wine  of  the  very  best 
fabrique.  While  on  the  subject  of  sugar,  I  may 
also  say,  that  the  general  cause  of  failure  in  those 
Wines  which  are  made  in  this  country,  from  ripe 
Grapes,  is  the  deficiency  of  sugar,  and  that  even 
these,  would  be  much  improved  by  an  addition 
of  it.  It  is  owing  to  this  deficiency,  that  these 
Wines  are  perishable,  and  easily  converted  into 
Vinegar,  the  natural  must  being  too  aqueous  to 
produce  a  durable  Wine.  The  proportion  of  sugar 
need  not  be  large  in  these  cases,  as  before  remark- 
ed ;  but  no  positive  rules  can  be  given  for  it, 
since  it  must  vary  with  the  maturity  and  saccha- 
rine quality  of  the  fruit;  circumstances  which  dif- 
fer in  almost  every  season. 

Two  modes  of  management  may  be  adopted 
with  regard  to  the  fruit,  either  subjecting  the 
skins  to  fermentation  or  not.  In  the  first  case,  a 
greater  degree  of  austerity  will  be  the  conse- 
quence, and  the  Wine  will  vary  in  its  qualities.. 


94 

If  the  object  be  to  make  a  Wine  resembling 
Champaign,  the  skins  may  be  separated  previous 
to  the  fermentation.  If  this  manufacture  be  con- 
du>ted  on  a  large  scale,  the  result  of  the  second 
pressing  may  be  reserved  to  make  a  distinct 
Wine.  If  on  a  small  one,  it  may  either  be  mixed 
with  the  first,  or  rejected  altogether. 

The  methods  of  conducting  the  fermentation, 
as  well  as  all  the  after  management,  need  not  be 
repeated  here,  as  they  are  to  be  found  in  the  be-'    , 
ginning  of  this  essay.     From  these,  the  operator 
will  be  directed  to  the  several  sorts  of  Wine  he    v 
may  wish  to  make.      It  is  equally  unnecessary  to 
repeat,  that  Wines  produced  in  this  way,  may  be     - 
modified  either  in  flavour  orcolour,  by  the  several 
expedients  already  detailed.    But  let  me  again 
inculcate,  that  the    Wine  7S  not  made,  when  the  in- 
gredients have  been  introduced  into  the  vessel.     It 
is  then,  that   the  labour  begins,  and  nothing  but  - 
care  and  attention  to  every  part,  and  every  minute 
circumstance  of  the  subsequent  processes,  can  ensure 
satisfaction,  and  produce  valuable  results. 

To  such  uses  may  the  immature  fruit  of  the  Vine 
be  converted,  but  the  capacities  of  that  plant  are 
not  even  yet  exhausted.  Situations  may  be  found 
in  this  country,  where  the  Vine  may  not  produce 
even  immature  fruit ;  yet  still  it  can  be  directed 
to  the  end  of  Wine  making.  Chemical  examina- 
tion has  proved  that  the  young  shoots,  the  tendrils, 


95 


and  le&ves  of  the  Vine,  possess  properties  and  con- 
tain substances  exactly  similar  to  the  crude  fruit. 
It  was  no  unnatural  conclusion  that  they  might  be 
used  for  the  purposes  of  making  Wine.  Experi- 
ments were  accordingly  instituted  in  France  for 
this  purpose,  and  they  have  been  repeated  here 
with  success.  From  Vine  leaves,  water,  and  Su- 
gar, Wines  have  been  thus  produced  in  no  respect 
differing  from  the  immature  fruit,  and  consequent- 
ly resembling  V\  ines  of  foreign  growth.  The  few 
experiments  that  I  have  tried  have  been  eminent- 
ly successful.  No  further  rules  can  be  given  re- 
specting the  management  of  the  leaves,  in  addition 
to  those  I  have  laid  down  for  the'treatment  of  un- 
ripe fruit.  Similar  proportions  and  similar  man- 
agement will,  in  both  cases,  produce  similar  ef- 
fects. The  leaves,  however,  scarcely  )  ielding  any 
thing  to  the  press,  required  to  be  infused  in  the 
water  for  some  days  before  they  are  subjected  to 
fermentation,  and  they  seem  to  yield  their  solu- 
ble parts  most  readily  to  boiling  water  without  any 
material  alteration  in  the  result.  The  leaves  of 
the  Claret  Vine  thus  treated  produce  Wine  of  a 
delicate  red  colour.  Tartar  appears  also  a  use- 
ful addition  in  this  case,  and  it  may  be  added  in 
half  a  pound  to  one  pound  to  ten  gallons  o(  must. 
One  advantage  results  from  the  use  of  leaves  ;  this 
is  the  great  facility  with  which  they  are  produced 
during  the  growth  of  the  Vine.     By  this  the  pro- 


96 


duce  of  a  small  Vineyard  in  leaves  alone  will  be 
ab'indant,  and  even  that  of  a  single  Vine  will  be 
as  great  as  is  required  for  the  use  of  most  families, 
should  they  make  this  Wine  for  their  sole  con- 
sumption. Let  it  always  be  remembered,  that  in 
all  these  cases  the  price  of  the  Sugar  is  the  price  of 
the  Wine.  The  expense  of  utensils  and  labour  is 
comparatively  trifling,  and  when  the  manufacture 
is  on  a  small  scale,  scarcely  worthy  of  regard. 

I  have  thus  brought  to  a  conclusion  the  remarks 
which  I  purposed  to  make  on  the  Art  of  Wine- 
Making.  That  I  have  offered  so  little  from  my 
own  experience,  will  be  pardoned  by  those  who 
consider  that  each  experiment  must  extend  to  a 
period  of  one  or  two  years,  and  that  the  labour  of 
a  life  would  be  insufficient  to  reduce  every  one  of 
these  suggestions  to  practice,  ft  will  be  enough 
that  they  are  all  readily  deducible  from  others, 
or  from  fair  analogies  taken  from  established  rules 
of  practice,  in  the  Wine  countries.  The  co-ope- 
ration of  many,  to  which  I  may  hope  this  essay 
will  afford  additional  facilities,  will  in  time  im- 
prove this  practice  to  the  degree  of  perfection  of 
which  it  is  capable,  and  establish  it  on  a  sure  and 
solid  basis. 

As  numbers  who  may  wish  to  make  Wine,  will 
not  be  at  the  trouble  of  going  through  the  preced- 
ing essay  ;  and  if  they  did,  perhaps  would  be  un- 
able to  follow  all  the  principles  laid  down,  I  have 


97 


thought  it  best  to  add  the  following  receipts,  to 
bring  the  whole  into  a  more  compact  view  ;  but 
still  there  must  be  much  left  to  the  attention  and 
skill  of  the  operator. 


TO  MAKE  WINE  FROM  IMMATURE  GRAPES. 

Although  they  will  make  Wine  in  any  stage  of 
their  growth,  I  would  advise  them  to  be  left  on 
the  Vines  until  they  have  attained  their  full  growth. 

The  following  Receipts  are  for  ten  gallons  of 
Wine,  which  may  be  increased  to  any  quantity  by 
taking  the  fruit,  &;c.  in  proportion. 

To  a  tub  of  the  capacity  of  fifteen  ^r  twenty  gal- 
lons, take  forty  pounds  of  immature  Grapes,  (no 
matter  for  the  variety,  or  whether  wild  or  culti- 
vated,) and  bruise  them  in  successive  portions,  by 
a  pressure  suflicient  to  burst  the  berries  without 
breaking  the  seeds  ;  and  as  there  is  no  bad  flavour 
in  the  green  skins  or  stems,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
separate  them.  Fourgallonsofwater  are  then  to 
be  poured  into  the  vessel,  and  the  contents  are  to 
be  carefully  stirred  and  squeezed  in  the  hand  un- 
til the  whole  of  the  juice  and  pulp  are  separated 
from  the  solid  matters.  The  materials  are  then 
to  remain  at  rest  from  six  to  twenty-four  hours, 
when  they  are  to  be  strained  through  a  coarse  bag, 
by  as  much  force  as  can  be  conveniently  applied 
to  them.  One  gallon  of  fresh  water  may  after- 
9 


98 


wards  l)e  passed  through  the  mare,,  for  the  purpose 
of  removing  any  soluble  matter  which  may  have 
remained  behind.  Thirty  pounds  of  white  sugar 
are  now  to  be  dissolved  in  the  juice  thus  procured, 
and  the  total  bulk  of  the  fluid  made  up  with  water, 
to  the  amount  often  gallons  and  a  half.  The  li- 
quor thus  obtained  is  the  artificial  must,  which  is 
equivalent  to  the  juice  of  the  ripe  Grape.  It  is 
now  to  be  introduced  into  a  tub  of  sutficient  capa- 
city, over  which  a  blanket  or  similar  texture,  co- 
vered by  a  board,  is  to  be  thrown,  the  vessel  being 
placed  in  a  temperature  varying  from  55  degrees 
to  60  degrees  of  Farenheit's  thermometer.  Here 
it  may  remain  for  twenty-four  hours  or  two  days, 
according  to  the  symptoms  of  fermentation  which 
it  may  show,  and  from  this  tub  it  is  to  be  drawn  off 
into  the  cask  in  which  it  is  to  ferment ;  when  in 
the  cask  it  must  be  filled  nearly  to  the  bung-hole, 
that  the  scum  which  arises  may  be  thrown  out. 
As  the  fermentation  proceeds,  and  the  bulk  of  the 
liquor  in  the  cask  diminishes,  the  superfluous  por- 
tion of  mM5^  which  was  made  for  this  express  pur- 
pose, must  be  poured  in,  so  as  to  keep  the  liquor 
near  the  bung-hole.  When  the  fermentation  "be- 
comes a  little  more  languid,  as  may  be  known  by  a 
diminution  of  the  hissing  noise,  the  bung  is  to  be 
driven  in,  and  a  hole  bored  by  its  side,  into  which 
a  wooden  peg  is  to  be  fitted.  After  a  few  days 
^is  peg  is  to  be  loosened,  that  if  any  material 


99 


quantity  of  air  has  been  generated  it  may  have 
vent.  The  same  trial  must  be  made  after  succes- 
sive intervals,  and  when  there  appears  no  longer 
any  danger  of  excessive  expansion,  the  spile  may 
be  permanently  tightened. 

The  Wine  thus  made  must  remain  over  winter 
in  a  cool  cellar,  as  it  is  no  longer  necessary  to  pro- 
voke the  fermenting  process.     If  the  operator  is 
not  inclined  to  bestow  any  further  labour  or  ex- 
pense on  it,  it  may  be  examined  in  some  clear  and 
cold  day  towards  the  end  of  February  or  beginning 
of  March,  when,  if  it  is  fine,  as  it  sometimes  will 
be,  it  may  be  bottled  without  further  precautions. 
To  ensure  its  fineness,  however,  it  is  a  better 
practice  to  rack  it  into  a  fresh  cask  towards  the 
end  of  December,  so  as  to  clear  it  of  its  first  lees. 
At  this  time  also  the  operator  will  be  able  to  de- 
termine whether  it  is  not  too  sweet  for  his  views. 
In  this  case,  instead  of  racking  it,  he  will  stir  up 
the  lees  so  as  to  renew  the  fermenting   process, 
taking  care  also  to  increase  the  temperature  at  the 
same  time.     At  whatever  time  the  Wine  has  been 
racked  otf,  it  is  to  be  fined  with  isinglass.     Some- 
times it  is  found  expedient  to  decant  or  rack  it  a 
second  time  into  a  fresh  cask,  and  again  to  repeat 
the  operation  of  fining.    AH  these  removals  should 
be  made  in  clear,  dry,  and  if  possible,  cold  wea- 
thei ;  in  any  case  it  must  be  bottled  during  the 
month  of  March, 


J  00 

I'he  Wine  thus  produced  will  generally  be  brisk, 
and  s'milar  in  its  qualities  to  the  Wines  of  Cham' 
paign,  with  the  strength  of  the  best  Sillery. 

Inattention,  or  circumstances  which  cannot  al- 
ways be  controlled,  will  sometimes  cause  it  to  be 
sweet,  and  still  at  others  to  be  dry. 

Variations  of  the  Process  described  above, 

'  The  skin  of  the  Grape  or  the  whole  mare,  as: 
well  as  the  juice,  may  be  fermented  in  the  vat, 
along  with  the  sugar  in  the  first  stage  of  the  pro- 
cess. The  fermentation  will  thus  be  more  rapid, 
and  the  Wine  prove  stronger  and  less  sweet,  but 
it  will  acquire  more  flavour. 

If  it  is  wished  to  have  a  very  sweet,  as  well  as 
brisk  Wine,  the  quantity  of  sugar  may  be  in- 
creased. 

If  the  Wine  is  intended  to  be  less  sweet,  and 
less  strong  than  in  the  first  case,  the  sugar  must 
be  reduced  to  twenty-five  pounds.  Thus  made, 
it  will  rarely  fail  to  be  brisk,  but  will,  at  the  same 
time,  be  less  durable.  Wines  of  this  construction 
will  resemble  the  inferior  classes  of  Champaign, 
and  must  commonly  be  consumed  within  the 
twelvemonth. 

The  proportion  of  fruit  adapted  in  this  receipt, 
is  that  in  common  use,  but  to  ensure  briskness 
without  excessive  sweetness,  it  is  recommend- 
ed   to    increase  the  proportion  of   fruit  to  fifty 


101 

pounds,  when  the  sugar  is  thirty.  If,  during  the 
feirnent;itio(i  of  Wine  thus  formed,  there  should 
ap|)ear  aiij  danger  of  the  sweetness  vanishing  al- 
together, it  may  be  decanted,  and  the  fermenta- 
tion then  checked  by  fining.  Thus  it  will  be  spee- 
dily fit  for  use. 

Wine  from  immature  or  ripe  Currants,  may  be 
made  in  the  same  manner  as  above,  and  with  the 
same  proportions  of  sugar,  &ic. 


TO  MAKE  WINE  FROM  RIPE  GRAPES. 

If  Wine  is  made  from  ripe  Grapes,  no  water  is 
to  be  used,  but  while  the  Vines  are  young,  the 
juice  of  the  fruit  is  generally  deficient  in  sugar; 
it  is  necessary  that  a  quantity  of  sugar,  varying 
from  one  to  two  pounds  for  each  gallon  of  imist, 
should  be  added  to  it,  and  this  in  proportion  to  th3 
iireateror  less  sweetness  of  the  fruit. 

When  your  Grapes  are  perfectly  ripe,  have 
them  gathered  and  picked  oil' the  bunches,  reject- 
ing all  the  unripe  and  unsound  ones  ;  then  bruise 
them  with  a  light  beetle,  or  in  any  other  way  with- 
out breaking  the  seeds.  (If  the  skin  is  broke,  it 
is  sufiicient :)  then  if  your  quantity  be  sufficient, 
put  them   into  an   hogshead   with  one  head  out, 

which  1  shall  call  a  vat,  and  after  stirring  them 
9* 


102 

twice  or  thrice,  the  first  24  or  36  hours,  accord- 
ing to  the  temperature  of  the  weather :  then  let 
them  stand  after  the  last  stirring,  from  two  to  six 
days,  to  dissolve  the  colouring  matter  in  the 
skin  and  the  pulp,  if  they  have  any.  The  skins 
and  seeds  will  rise  to  the  top  of  the  liquid  in  the 
vat,  and  by  examining  them  once  or  twice  a  day,  it 
is  very  easy  to  discover  when  the  dissolubleparts, 
&c.  is  dissolved.  Then  from  a  hole  in  the  side 
of  the  vat  near  the  bottom,  draw  ofi'all  the  fluid, 
which  must  be  done  before  the  skins  begin  to 
sink,  when  the  juice  or  liquor  will  run  off  clear — 
But  it  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  the  sooner 
it  is  drawn  off  after  the  soluble  parts  are  dissolved 
the  better;  it  will  be  less  likely  to  run  into 
the  acetous  fermentation,  or  become  musty.  When 
you  draw  off  this  liquor,  put  it  immediately  into 
a  cask  well  scented  with  sulphur,  running  it 
through  a  sieve  to  prevent  any  seed  or  any  thing 
else  that  may  come  off  with  the  fluid.  And  as 
it  will  have  gone  through  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  fermentation  in  the  vat,  it  will  be  best 
to  bung  the  cask  tight  at  once,  and  bore  a  small 
gimblet-hole  near  the  bung,  in  which  put  a  wood- 
en peg,  which  must  be  drawn  for  a  few  minutes, 
every  two  or  three  days,  to  let  the  generated  aip 
escape,  during  the  first  month,  when  it  may  be 
drove  in  tight  and  permanently.  If  your  fruil  has 
been  taken  from  young  Vines  or  from  wild  ones. 


103 

either  from  the  fields  or  woods,  it  will  be  necessa- 
ry to  put  oiifi  or  two  pounds  of  clean  moist  sugar, 
to  every  gallon  of  liquid.  But  if  it  should  happen, 
that  your  cask  should  lack  two  or  three  gallons  of 
being  full,  it  may  be  filled  with  water  in  which 
three  pounds  of  Sugar  to  each  gallon  has  been 
dissolved  ;  or  if  your  cask  is  nol  full  from  the  li- 
quor drawn  from  the  vat,  you  may  press  the  skins 
and  seeds,  so  as  to  get  all  the  juice  remaining 
which  you  may  put  into  your  cask  with  the  other 
juice ;  but  in  this  case,  you  must  leave  out  the 
bung  for  from  six  to  ten  days,  that  the  leaven  or 
mucilage  may  escape  at  the  bung-hole,  filling  it 
every  day  once  or  twice  with  the  same  liquor,  af- 
ter which,  it  must  be  bunged  up  tight,  and  man- 
aged in  the  manner  above  described.  When  you 
do  not  bung  your  cask  from  the  vat,  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  sulphur  the  cask  in  the  first  instance.  But 
from  my  experience,  I  think  the  Wine  is  never 
so  delicate  nor  good  when  what  is  pressed  from 
the  skins  and  seeds  is  mixed  with  what  runs  clear 
from  the  vat,  and  is  at  the  same  time  more  diffi- 
cult to  manage:  so  that  where  there  is  quantity 
sufficient,  it  is  best  to  make  a  separate  Wine  of  it. 
In  the  month  of  December,  in  a  clear  cool  day, 
rack  offyour  Wine  into  a  clean  sweet  and  sulphur- 
ed cask,  and  at  the  same  time  fine  it  with  isinglass  j 
but  if  your  Wine  is  too  sweet,  and  you  wish  to 
have  a  dry  Wine,  stir  up  the  lees  without  racking' 


it,  when  it  will  undergo  another  fermentatron,  iq 
the  close  cask  ;  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month 
of  January,  rack  it  off  into  a  sulphured  cask,  and 
fine  it  with  half  the  quantity  of  fining  used  the  first 
time.  In  March  it  may  either  be  bottled  or  rack- 
ed into  a  clean  sulphured  cask,  and  a  small  por- 
tion of  fining  again  put  to  it.  And  in  the  latter  part 
of  May,  if  all  the  vegetable  extract  or  leaven  has- 
not  been  separated  from  it  by  the  racking  and  fin- 
ing, it  will  undergo  a  moderate  fermentation ;  when 
this  takes  place,  it  will  then  be  necessary  to  rack 
it  and  fine  it  again,  with  a  very  small  quantity  of 
fining,  and  after  it  has  settled  down  fine  and  bright, 
it  will  keep  for  any  length  of  time. 

To  those  who  have  not  leisure  or  are  not  dis- 
posed to  take  all  this  trouble,  and  who  like  strong 
Wine,  may  put  Brandy  with  it  when  drawn  from 
the  vat,  in  the  proportion  of  fro;  •  one  twelfth  to 
one  eighth,  probably  ten  per  cent,  or  one  tenth 
may  be  the  better  quantity,  and  in  going  through 
the  fermentation  in  the  cask,  it  will  mix  with  the 
Wine,  and  become  Vineous,  but  it  ought  to  be 
clear  of  all  taste,  if  possible  to  get  such. 


i^^^^H®! 


ON  THE  MAKING  OF  WINE. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  the  late  Joneph  Cooper, 
Esquire,  of  Kcw  Jersey,  to  Harrison  Hall^ 
Esquire,  Editor  of  HalPs  Distiller.  Second 
edition,  page  279. 

•'  I  gather  the  Grapes  when  fully  ripe  and  dry, 
separate  the  rotten  and  unripe  from  the  others, 
and  press  for  distillation,  if  the  quantity  is  worth 
attending  to.  I  then  open  the  cider  mill,  so  as 
not  to  mash  the  stems  or  seeds  of  the  Grapes, 
then  run  them  through,  put  the  pumice  or  mashed 
Grapes  on  some  clean,  long  straw,  previously 
made  damp,  and  laid  on  the  cider  press  floor,  lap 
it  in  the  straw,  press  it  well,  then  take  off  the 
pumice,  and  add  some  water,  or  I  believe  sweet, 
uiifepmented  cider  would  be  better,*  and  answer 
in  lieu  of  sugar.  After  it  has  soaked  awhile,  (but 
do  not  let  it  ferment  in  the  pumice)  press  as  be- 

*  Whenever  I  mixed  Cider  with  the  Grape  juice,  it  invariably 
run  into  tlie  acetous  feimentation,  witliout  there  was  nt  least 
one  fifth  of  Brandy  added  to  it,  and  tlien  was  good  fornothin^. 

J.  A.   ' 


106 


fore,  put  all  together,  and  add  sugar,  till  it  is  -au 
agreeable  sweet.  I  have  found  a  pound  to  the 
gallon,  sufficient  for  the  sourest  Grapes,  and  white 
Havana  sugar  the  best ;  but  sweet  Grapes  make 
the  best  Wine,  without  any  sut^ar."  ^ 

"I  have  heretofore  reconnmended  putting  the 
sugar  in,  after  fermentation  ;  but  on  experience, 
find  it  not  to  keep  as  well,  and  am  now  convinced 
that  all  the  saccharine   matter  for  making  Wine,-' 
should  be  incorporated  before  fermentation.  Pre- 
Tiously  to  fermentation,  I  place  the  cask  three  or 
four  feet  from  the  floor ;  as  the  filth  works  out, 
fill  it  up  twice  or  more  times  a  day,  till  it  emits  a 
clear  froth,  then  check  the  fermentation  gradually, 
by  putting  the  bung  on  slack,  and  tighten  it  as  the 
fermentation  abates.    When  the  fretting  has  near- 
ly ceased,   rack  it  off;  for  which  purpose,  1  have 
an  instrument  nearly  in  the  shape  of  a  woodea 
shovel,  with  a  gutter  in  the  upper  side  of  the  han- 
dle ;  place  it  so  as  to  prevent  waste,  and  let  it 
dribble  into  the  tub  slowly,  which  give  the  fret- 
ting quality  an  opportunity  to   evaporate,  tran- 
quilizes    the   liquor,    and    hastens    its    maturity. 
When  the  cask  is  empty,  rince  it  with  fine  gravel, 
to  scour  off  the  yeast  that  adheres  to   it  from  fer- 
mentation ;  then  for  each  gallon  of  Wine,  put  in. 
one  pint  of  high  proof  French  or  Apple  Brandy, 
fill  the  cask  about  one  third,  then  burn  a  sulphur 
match  in  it ;  when  the  match  is  burnt  out,  stop 


107 


the  bung-hole,  and  shake  it  to  incorporate  the 
smoke  and  hqiior,  fill  the  cask  and  place  it  as  be- 
fore, and  ill  about  a  month  rack  it  again  as  direct- 
ed above.     The  gravel  is  unnecessary  after  the 
first  racking.     If  the  match  should  not  burn  the 
first  racking,  repeat  it,  and  if  it  don't  taste  strong 
enough  to  stand  the  hot  weather,  add  more  Bran- 
dy.    I  have  racked  my  Wines  three  or  four  times 
a  year,  and  find  it  to  help  its  ripening  :  have  fre- 
quently had  casks  on  tap  for   years,  and  always 
found  the  liquor  to  improve  to  the  last  drawing." 
"  Being  fully  of  opinion  that  our  common  wild 
Grapes  are  capable  of  producing  Wine  as  good 
and  as  palatable,  (prejudice  aside)  and   far  more 
wholesome  than  the  Wine  imported  at  so  great 
an  expense  ;  and    a  supply  of  that  article  being 
very  uncertain.  I  am  induced  to  urge  the  making 
of  Wine  of  all  tht;  native  Grapes  that  can  be  pro- 
cured ;  and  in    collecting    them,    to    notice    the 
Vines  th;it  produce  of  the  best  quality,  and  which 
are  most  productive,   as    this  will  enable  persons 
to  select  the  best  Vine  to  cultivate  and  propagate 
from.     This  ought  to  be  particularly  attended  to, 
as    there   are  many  Vines  which   produce  good 
Grapes,  but  few  in  quantity,  and  others  very  pro- 
ductive, but  of  bad  quiilily  ;  and  I  believe  full 
half  the  number  that  come  from  seed,  are  males, 
and  will  never  bear  fruit." 


108 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Joseph  Cooper,  Esqinrt, 
to  Doctor  James  Mease,  Secretary  of  the  Agricul' 
tural  Society,  Philadelphia,    Vol.  \.  page  253. 

**  A  circumstance  ought  to  be  considered,  re- 
9pecting  Grapes  ;  they  will  produce  fruit  from 
the  seed  in  a  fourth  part  of  the  time  that  an 
apple  or  pear  will,  and  from  a  cutting,  as  soon  as 
^  peach  from  the  stolie  ;  as  to  grafting,  I  never 
tried  it  till  last  ^year.  Having  a  Vine  in  my  gar- 
den producing  Grapes  not  to  my  liking,  I  grafted 
it  with  the  "  Powell"*  Grape,  and  instead  of 
claying,  plastered  it  with  a  composition  of  bees- 
wax, tallow,  and  rosin.  Two  scions  grew,  and 
produced  six  bunches  of  Grapes  the  same  sum- 
mer ;  some  of  the  branches  grew  more  than  twen-  , 
ty  feet  in  length,  and  the  two  scions  have  in  one 
summer  formed  a  top,  sufficient,  if  but  reasonably 
full,  to  produce  a  bushel  of  fruit."  Dated  Feb 
ruary  22nd,  1808. 


The  conclusion  of  Mr.  Cooper^s  letter  to  Mr.  Hall. 
"  I  am  confident,  that  an  acre  of  land,  properly 
planted,  and  cultivated  with  the  best  native  Vines 
that  can  be  found  within  a  few  miles  of  any  farm 
house  in  New- Jersey,  or  perhaps  any  State  in  the 

*  Now  calle(i  the  Bland  Madeira, 


109 


Union,  would  produce  Grapes  sufficient  to  make 
fifteen  hundred  gallons  of  Wine  anHually.* 

*  This  will  undoubtedly  appear  to  many,  a  mere  flight  of  fan- 
cy, or  an  exaggeration  beyond  probability,  consequently  will 
be  little  attended  to.  Notwithstanding  which,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  he  is  nearly  correct.  I  knew  Mr.  Cooper  well,  having 
been  in  habits  of  intimacy  with  him,  for  upwards  of  twenty 
years.  He  was  a  very  respectable  practical  farmer,  and  lived 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  Delaware,  opposite  the  City  of  Phila- 
delphia. Every  thing  he  did  in  the  farming  way,  was  Hone 
in  the  neatest  and  best  manner.  He  has  also  given  some  new 
ideas,  on  the  raising  and  saving  of  seeds,  which  are  published  in 
Darwin's  Phythologia.  And,  to  shew  that  he  is  correct,  or  nearly 
30,  in  the  above  assertion,  I  state  the  following  facts.  Mrs.  Scholl, 
who  keeps  a  public  house  at  Clarksburgh,  Montgomery  county, 
Maryland,  has  a  Grape  V^ine  in  her  garden,  which  I  pruned,  (for 
the  sake  of  the  cuttings)  in  February,  1819,  and  about  the  10th 
of  September,  the  same  year,  I  went  to  see  the  fruit,  as  I  had 
heard  a  great  deal  about  the  quantity  and  quality  of  it.  Most 
of  the  Grapes  were  then  ripe,  and  there  happened  to  be  several 
ladies  an  1  gentlemen  tliere  at  the  time,  travelling  for  health  or 
pleasure.  I  lequested  the  gentlemen  to  give,  me  their  opinions 
as  to  the  quantity  of  Grapes  then  on  the  Vine.  One  said  he 
thought  there  was  as  many  as  would  fill  four  flour  barrjels, 
others  said  they  thought  there  might  be  from  eight  to  ten 
bushels  ;  my  own  opinion  was,  there  might  be  eight  bushels.  I 
measured  the  arbour  the  Vine  grew  on,  it  was  sixteen. feet  long, 
seven  feet  high,  at  the  sides,  and  eight  feet  wide,  and  as  the 
top  formed  the  segment  of  a  circle,  it  might  be  about  twelve  or 
eighteen  iuches  higher  in  the  centre.  The  Vine  grew  on  the 
north  side  of  the  arbour  and  extended  the  whole  length  of  it, 
covered  the  whole  of  the  top,  and  several  branches  hung  down 
on  the  south  side  of  it,  from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  below 
the  top  of  the  out  side  post*  on  the  south,  and  all  the  brandies 
were  full  of  Grapes,  having  from  fifteen  to  thirty  bunches  on 
10 


110 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  the  late  James  Anderson, 
Esqr.  L.  L.  D.  and  F.  R.  S.  to  Mr.  Mathews, 
Secretary  of  the  Bath  and  West  of  England  So- 
ciety  for  the  encouragement  of  Agriculture,  <^c. 
on  the  Making  of  Wines,  S^-c, 

"  From  our  own  limited  practice,  I  have  been 
able  only  to  ascertain  two  points  that  I  think  can 

every  bearing  shoot ;  for  in  pruning,  I  pruned  none  of  the  shoots 
to  less  than  eight,  and  from  that  to  fifteen  eyes  on  a  shoot, 
■where  it  grew  strong  and  vigorous.  Suppose  an  acre  of 
ground  was  planted  in  arbours  ten  rods  long,  and  the  rows  one 
rod  apart,  tiiere  would  be  sixteen  surh.  arbours  on  an  acre,  and 
less  than  half  the  ground  occupied,  for  there  would  be  eight 
and  a  half  feet  between  the  outside  of  one  aibour,  to  the  be* 
ginning  of  the  other.  Consequently,  the  arbour  would  be  ten 
times  as  long  as  Mrs.  Scholl's  and  a  few  feet  to  spare  ;  and  to 
keep  within  all  bounds,  I  will  say  there  was  but  three  bushels  of 
Grapes  on  one  rod  in  length,  there  would  be  thirty  bushels  in 
the  ten  rods  ;  and  sixteen  such  rows,  atthiriy  bushels  each,  will 
make  four  hundred  and  eighty  bushels  of  Grapes  on  one  acre, 
and  at  two  and  a  half  gallons  of  Wine  to  each  bushel,  though 
I  know  there  would  be  more,  would  make  twelve  hundred 
gallons  from  an  acre. 

I  am  conscious  that  many  will  smile  at  this  calculation,  and 
look  on  It  as  a  mere  puflf.  But  I  will  pledge  myself,  that  if  any 
gentleman  will  plant  that  kind  of  Grape  in  a  rich  border  of 
his  garden,  and  train  it  on  an  arbour  of  that  size,  and  prune  it 
properly,  he  can  satisfy  himself  that  much  more  may  be  raised 
off  that  space  of  ground  in  five,  if  not  in  four  years. 

J.  Johns-ton,  Esquire,  near  Frederick-town,  Maryland,  has 
■a  trellis  about  ten  rods  long,  I  slept  it  several  times,  and  made 
h  fifty-five  yards ;  it  is  about  sereo  feet  high,  and  covered  with 


Ill ' 

be  relied  on,  as  tolerably  well  established.  These 
zre,  first,  that  age,  I  mean  not  less  than  three  years, 

olevon  Vines,  which  completely  covers  the  trellis.  It  faces  the 
south,  and  when  I  was  last  there,  all  the  shoots  were  full  oC 
Grapes,  and  it  was  conjectured  there  were  thirty  bushels  on  it 
then  ;  the  bunches  began  within  t-ighteen  inches  of  the  ground, 
and  all  the  south  side  was  very  full  to  tlie  top  of  the  trellis,  and 
some  hung  down  on  the  north  side  over  the  top  rail.  Now,  to 
keep  witiiin  bounds,  I  will  say,  there  were  twenty  bushels  of 
Grapes  ou  the  trellis  as  it  stood  perpendicular,  there  could  bo 
twenty-two  such  rows  of  trellis  on  an  acre  of  ground,  at  twelve 
feet  apart,  which  will  make  four  hundred  and  forty  bushels  of 
Grapes,  which  at  two  and  a  half  gallons  of  Wine  to  the  bushel, 
will  make  eleven  hundred  gallons  to  an  acre.  This  is  the  same 
kind  of  Grape,  as  Mrs  ScholPs.  A  German  Priest,  wiio  saw 
Mrs.  ScholPs  Vine  in  full  bearing  and  when  ripe,  pronounced 
them  the  true  Tokay,  and  said  he  saw  the  same  kind  growing 
ill  Tokay,  in  Hungary.  My  Grapes  of  the  same  kind,  this  last 
year,  produced  me  about  three  gallons  of  juice  to  a  bushel  of 
bunches  ;  but  they  were  gathered  in  the  fullness  of  their  juice. 
And  I  think  it  probable,  if  I  had  let  them  hang  on  the  Vine  until 
perfectly  ripe,  or  until  they  became  a  little  shrivelled,  there 
might  be  from  one  quart  to  three  pints  less  juice  to  the  bushel  of  ' 
bunches.  Two  or  three  such  trellis' as  Mrs.  ScholPs,  in  a  gar- 
den, would  supply  a  family  with  Grapes,  tiie  whole  season  of 
Xhe  Vintage,  and  also  a  considerable  part  of  the  winter. 

Mr.  Cooper's  Vine,  covered  a  surface  of  sixty  feet  by  forty, 
making  two  thousand  four  hundred  feet.  In  the  year  1807,  it 
yielded  thirly-six  and  a  lialf  bushels  of  Grapes,  which  produced 
ninety-one  gallons  of  juico. 

In  1 808,  the  blo>^soms  and  fiuit  were  destroyed  by  rose  bugs. 
I  was  there,   and  saw  the  devastation  they  were  making  t,n  it. 

In  1809,  it  yielded  twenty  six  and  a  half  bushels  of  GrapeSj 
which  produced  eighty-five  gallons  of  juice. 


112 

is  required  to  elapse,  before  any  Wine  that  is  to  be 
really  good,  can  attain  such  excellence  a»  to  de- 
serve the  name  of  o-oocZ/  and,  second,  that  it  never 
can  attain  that  perfection,  if  spirits  of  any  kind  be 
mixed  with  it.  I  apprehend  most  of  our  made 
'.Vines  are  greatlj  hurt  bj  not  adverting  to  these 
*wo  circumstances. 

"  Another  circumstance  that  is,  in  my  opinion, 
very  neccssar)'  for  the  formation  of  good  Wine,  is 
a  degree  oi  acidity  in  the  fruit,  without  which,  the 

In  1810,  it  yielded  forty-two  and  a  half  bushels  of  Grapes, 
at  one  picking,  (a  bushel  of  bunches  weighed  thirty-four 
pounds,)  and  produced  one  hundred  and  thirty  gallons  of  juice. 
Thus  in  four  years,  and  one  of  these  four  years,  the  Grapes 
failed  entirelj',  this  Vine  produced  one  hundred  and  five  and  a 
lialf  bushels  of  bunches  of  Grapes,  and  three  hundred  and  six 
gallons  of  juice,  which  averages  seventy-six  and  a  half  gallons 
a  year.  There  are  43,560  square  feet  on  an  acre,  consequently 
there  could  be  eighteen  such  arbours  as  Mr.  Cooper''s,  of  two 
thousand  four  hundred  square  feet  to  an  acre  But,  to  leave  a 
sufficiency  of  room,  we  will  suppose  there  was  but  ten  such  to 
an  a«;re,  to  allow  free  circulation  of  air,  &c.  it  makes  an  aver- 
age of  seven  hundred  and  sixty  five  gallons  to  an  acre,  for  four 
years  ,  but  an  acre  to  take  them  separately,  in  the  year  1807, 
produced  nine  hundred  and  ten  gallons.  In  1809,  there  would 
liav.been  eight  hundred  and  fifty  gallons,  and  in  l8]0,there  would 
haVe  been  thirteen  hundred  gallons  to  the  acre.  Any. person 
wishing  fiirtlier  information  on  this  subject,  I  must  refer  him  to 
"  The  Artist's  Manual  ;''  "  The  Philadelphia  Agricultural  Me- 
moirs,''or  "  Ilali's  Distill-'r,"  published  at  Philadelphia,  second 
edition  This  latter  book  is  the  best  work  that  I  am  acquainted 
with  on  Distillation.  J,  A, 


113 


Wine  never  acquires  the  zest  which  constitutes  its 
peculiar  excellence,  but  hurries  forward  too  ra- 
pidly into  the  state  of  Vinegar.  Currants  at  all 
times  possess  enough  of  that  acidity  ;  but  if  goose- 
berries be  too  ripe  they  are  apt  to  want  it,  and 
become  insipidly  sweet  at  an  early  period,  though 
they  soon  become  vinegar.  It  ought  to  be  re- 
marked, that  the  native  acidity  of  the  fruit  is 
different  from  the  acidity  of  vinegar,  and  possesses 
qualities  extremely  dissimilar.  The  sourness  of 
vinegar,  when  it  has  once  begun  to  be  formed,  con- 
tinues augmenting  loith  age  j  but  the  native  vegeta- 
ble acid,  when  combined  7oith  saccharine  matter^  is 
gradually  diminished  as  the  fermentation  proceeds, 
till  it  IS  totally  lost  in  the  vinous  zest,  into  which 
both  this  and  sugar  are  completely  converted  before 
any  vinegar  is  produced,  if  the  fermentation  be  pro- 
perly conducted. 

"  This  I  believe  is  a  new  opinion,  which  expe- 
rience alone  has  enabled  me  to  adopt  not  very 
long  ago.  But  I  have  so  many  experimental 
proofs  o(  this  fact,  independent  of  the  support  it 
derives  from  reasoning,  that  I  am  satisfied  that  it 
is  well  founded.  1  am  satisfied  further,  that  the 
Wines  of  this  country  are  debased  chiefly  by  not 
advert'ng  to  it. 

The  quantity  of  fruit  produced  too,  is  so  much 
greater  when   the  Vines  are    properly  managed, 
than  can  be  gotten  from  the  same  extent  of  ground 
10* 


114 


of  other  fruits,  as  to  give  it  a  decided  preference 
on  the  whole.  I  have  just  now  in  my  cellar  about 
forty  gallons  of  Wine,  made  from  the  Grapes  that 
were  gathered  from  a  wall  fifteen  yards  in  length 
and  fifteen  feet  high ;  nor  was  the  crop  above  the 
average.  Neither  had  that  Wine  above  half  the 
quantity  of  sugar  that  other  fruit  Whines  would 
have  required.  I  have  no  doubt  that  were  Vines 
raised  from  seeds  of  the  best  sorts,  and  carefully 
selected  when  they  come  to  bear,  we  might  thus 
obtain  new  varieties  of  Grapes,  that  would  assimi- 
late to  our  climate,  and  either  suit  for  the  table  or 
making  Wine."*  Mr.  Anderson  gathered  those 
Orapes  before  they  were  quite  ripe,  which  made 
sugar  necessary. 

*  Mr.  Anderson's  Vine  above  mentioned,  covers  a  wall  of  675 
square  feet.  Now,  to  plant  Vines  as  I  recommend  them  to  be 
planted,  viz  :  in  rows  twelve  feet  apart,  and  the  trellis  six  feet 
high,  there  will  be  twenty-two  rows  of  ten  rods  long  each,  on  an 
acre  of  ground,  and  on  one  row  often  rods  long,'  there  will  be 
990  square  feet  of  trellis,  which  multiplied  by  22,  the  number  of 
rows  on  an  acre,  makes  21,780  square  feet,  which  divided  by 
675  square  feet,  the  size  of  Mr.  Anderson's  wall,  makes  32  such 
squares  and  a  fraction  ;  and  by  multiplying  this  number  by  40,  the 
number  of  gallons  of  Wine  made  by  Mr.  Anderson,  makes  l28o 
gallons.  This  appears  very  extravagant,  but  if  any  gentleman  will 
be  at  the  pains  or  trouble  of  making  a  border,  (if  I  may  so  call 
it,)  of  eight  feet  wide  and  two  feet  deep,  of  the  best  and  richest 
ioam  he  can  get,  or  garden  mold,  and  keep  it  rich,  and  train  the 
Vines  ten  feet  high,  in  a  serpentine  manner,  (of  either  of  4  kinds 
ihat  I  cultivate,)    as  recommended  by  Mr.  Forsylb,  he  may 


115 

In  corroboration  of  what  I  have  above  stated, 
I  have  General  Swift's  authority,  (whose  word 
none  will  dispute,)  see  the  American  Farnrier,  No. 
45,  Vol.  4,  Page  359  and  360,  wherein  he  says, 
he  had  "about  one  thousand  benches  of  Grapes 
on  a  double  trellis  thirty  yards  long,  weighing  from 
one  quarter  of  a  pound  to  a  pound  each,  and  near- 
ly as  many  more  were  removed  by  trimming  and 
thinning."  By  planting  the  rows  of  Grapes  at 
sixteen  feet  apart,  an  acre  of  ground  would  hold 
thirty  such  trellises,  which  I  suppose  is  an  arbour 
about  three  feet  wide  ;  and  1  suppose  there  would 
not  be  more  than  half  the  ground  occupied.  Now, 
the  average  weight  of  the  bunches  would  be  ten 
ounces;  but  to  keep  within  bounds,  say  the}  weigh- 
ed eight  ounces  each,  one  thousand  bunches  would 
weigh  500  pounds.  Thirty  such  trellises  would 
then  have  15,000  pounds  of  Grapes  if  they  all 
bore  equally  well,  which,  at  50  pounds  to  the 
bushel,  would  make  300  bushels,  and  at  six  and  a 
quarter  cents  a  pound,  would  pioduce  937  dollars 
and  50  cents.  The  thousand  bunches  taken  off 
by  thinning  and  pruning  I  will  suppose  weighed 

convince  himself.  I  have  thought  it  proper,  (notwitljstanding 
the  sneers  and  ridicule  I  may  be  subject  to  for  publishing  such 
apparent  extravagancies,)  to  prevent  some  gimcrack  genius 
from  coming  forward  some  four  or  five  years  hence,  to  palm  it 
on  the  public  as  a  new  discovery,  and  endeavour  to  get  a  pa- 
tent for  it,  J.  A. 


116 

«ne  fourth  of  the  above  weight,  which  will  amount 
to  3750  pounds,  and  each  50  pounds  to  make  ten 
gallons  of  Wine,  according  to  a  receipt  in  this 
book,  will  make  750-  gallons.  The  expense  of 
making  the  Wine  would  be  the  cost  of  one  ton  of 
sugar,  which,  at  15  dollars  per  hundred  weight, 
would  amount  to  300  dollars.  And  suppose  there 
was  50  gallons  of  Wine  composed  of  lees,  and  had 
evaporated,  and  the  Wine  to  sell  for  one  dollar 
per  gallon,  the  account  would  stand  thus  : 
1 5,000  lbs.  of  Grapes  at  6  l-4centsper  lb.  ^937  50 
700  gallons  of  Wine  at  $1  the  gallon,     700  00 


Total  produce,     -         -         -     $1,637  50 

Expense, — 1  ton  of  Sugar  at  $15  per 
cwt.  -  -  -  300 

Labour,  interest  of  capital,  and  decay 
of  the  trellis,  rent  of  land,  manure, 
&c.  &c.  say  for  one  year,         -      200  $500  00 


Profit,  -  -         -    .  $1,137  50 


Such  will  be  the  profit  of  any  person  who  lives 
in  the  vicinity  of  our  large  cities,  and  will  cultivate 
the  above  Grape  in  garden  culture,  as  also  seve- 
ral other  kinds,  as  the  Bland  Madeira,  Tokay,  &:c. 
This  appears  to  be  very  extravagant,  but  1  am 
certain  it  may  be  accomplished  on  any  rich,  sound, 
sandy  loam,  south  oi  the  4 1st  degree  of  latitude, 
and,  for  ought  1  know,  still  farther  north. 


117 


But  the  most  famous  Vine  we  read  of,  is  in  a 
Grape  House  ou  the  soutit  side  of  Hampton  Court 
Palace,  in  England. — See  Martin's  edition  of  Mil 
ler's  Gardener's  Dictionar}.  Article  V. 

It  is  of  the  black  Hamburgkind,and  occupies  the 
whole  house,  which  is  70  fe^t  by  1 4.  It  wais  plant- 
ed in  the  year  1 76'.) ;  the  stem  is  about  1 3  inches  in 
girth, and  the  principal  branch,  having  been  trained 
back  at  the  exlremit}'  of  the  house,  is  one  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  feet  in  length.  This  Vine  has 
been  known  to  produce  in  one  year,  two  thousand 
and  two  hundred  bunches  of  Grapes,  weighing  o» 
an  average  one  pound  each. 


I  would  advise  every  person  having  a  farm  or 
garden,  to  plant  some  Vines,  of  the  best  he  can 
procure  in  his  own  vicinity,  and  others,  where 
hardy  kinds  may  be  had.  A  garden  niay  produce 
enough  for  the  table  and  some  to  make  Wine. 
There  ought  to  be  one  Vine  planted  for  every 
pannel  of  fence  he  has  round  his  garden.  If 
these  are  propcly  trained  and  pruned,  in  four 
ytars  each  Vine  (if  of  good  bearing  kinds)  will 
produce  from  half  a  bushel  to  two  bushels  of 
<i  rapes  in  the  bunches,  and  if  they  are  of  the 
liiigc  growing  kind,  such  as  the  better  kind  of 
Fox  Grapes,  or  others  of  that  size, you  may  make 
from  ten  bushels  of  them,  a  barrel  of  ^Vinc.  arid- 
so  in  proportion. 


118 

The  Grapes  for  the  table  may  be  trained  up 
against  a  house,  stable,  'Ic* 

To  the  farmer,  my  advice  is,  to  plant  one  or 
more  acres  in  V^ines,  and  train  them  on  trellis', 
arbour  fashion  ;  and  with  a  little  attention  in 
spring  and  summer,  in  pruning  and  keeping  them 
clear  of  weeds,  he  would  be  amply  rewarded  in 
the  autumn,  by  having  Grapes  enough  to  pro- 
duce from  300  to  400  gallons  of  Wine  for  each 
acre,  according  to  .the  goodness  of  the  season. 
And  the  quality  of  the  Wine,  (which  will  depend 
much  on  a  proper  attention  to  making  it)  will  be 
worth  from  tifty  to  two  hundred  cents  per  gallon. 
This  I  recommend  as  an  amusement,  for  with  a 
very  little  additional  industry  and  attention,  with- 
out interfering  with  his  other  pursuits  or  diminish- 
ing in  any  degree  his  other  crops,  whether  they  be 
grain,  tobacco,  cotton,  &c.  he  will  find  it  very 
pleasing  and  very  profitable. 

There  are  particular  situations  and  districts, 
where  it  may  be  made  a  business  of,  and  very 
profitable  to  plant  ten  or  more  acres  of  Vines; 
such  as  the  piney  sands  of  New-Jersey,  and  the 
like  kind  of  soil  along  our  coast  southerly,  &c, 
and  where  little  or  nothing  can  be  cultivated. 
But  I  am  certain  that  on  these  lands,  some  kind 
of  manure  will  be  wanted  in  the  first  instance  to 
give  the  Vines  a  fair  start  in  their  growth. 

*  The  trellis  ought  to  be  seven  or  eight  feet  high  at  least. 


119 

These  sandy  lands  will  have  the  advantage  ot" 
all  other  in  some  respects;  as  thtj  will  throw  up 
fewer  weeds,  and  will  be  easier  worked  or  culti- 
vated, than  any  other  land. 


MATCHING   FOR  WINE  AND  CIDER. 

Melt  brimstone  in  an  iron  ladle,  and  when 
thorouj^hly  melted,  dip  into  it  slips  of  coarse  linen 
cloth,  take  these  out  and  let  them  cool.  This  is 
what  VVino  coopers  call  a  match.  Take  one  of 
these  matches,  and  set  one  end  on  fire  and  put  it 
into  the  bung-hole  of  a  cask,  stop  it  loosely,  and 
thus  suffer  the  match  to  burn  nearly  out,  then 
drive  in  (he  bung  tight,  and  set  the  cask  aside  for 
an  hour  or  two.  At  the  end  of  this  time  examine 
the  cask,  and  you  will  find  that  the  sulphur  has 
comiDunicated  a  violently  pungent  and  suffocating 
3C<Mi(  to  the  cask,  with  a  considerable  degree  of 
acidity,  which  is  the  gas,  and  acid  spirit  of  the 
sulphur.  The  cask  may  after  this  be  filled  with 
small  Wine,  cider,  &c.  which  has  scarcely  gone 
through  its  process  of  fermentation,  and  bung  it 
down  tight,  it  will  keep  good  and  will  soon  clarify. 
This  is  a  very  useful  method  for  poor  Wines.  &lc, 
which  could  not  be  kept  for  a  (gw  months  without 
it.  Nor  could  stums  be  prepared  in  large  quanti- 
ties without  this  help.  See  Shaw's  Lectures,  page 
191. 


120 

TO  PRESS  THE  WINE. 

Plant  two  strong  posts  in  tlie  ground,  at  least 
twelve  inches  square,  and  mortice  into  those  po&ts 
two  cross  pieces  of  the  same  size,  one  near  the 
ground,  and  the  other  about  five  or  six  feet  above 
it.  On  the  lower  one  make  a  floor  the  same  as 
that  made  for  a  cider  press,  on  which  put  a  square 
crib  that  will  hold  from  four  to  five  bushels.  If 
you  have  not  a  haircloth,  use  a  thin  coarse  piece 
of  linen  or  clean  straw  to  put  in  the  inside  of  the 
crib,  then  put  in  your  bruised  Grapes,  and  after 
filling  it,  put  on  some  strong  boards  or  plank, 
that  will  go  into  the  crib  easily  ;  then  lay  across 
the  boards  a  strong  piece  of  wood,  and  take  a 
jack  screw  and  place  it  on  the  piece  of  wood  last 
mentioned,  and  -tgainst  the  upper  cross  piece, 
you  may  press  your  Grapes  or  apples,  if  making 
cider,  in  a  few  minutes,  and  do  the  work  in  a 
much  shorter  tinrvc  than  with  any  of  the  cider 
presses  that  I  know  of.  Be  cautious  not  to  put 
more  Grapes  or  pummice  than  can  be  pressed 
dry  in  the  shortest  time,  which  will  be  easily 
found  out  by  attention. 

Those  Grapes  that  have  no  pulp,  may  be  press- 
ed immediately  after  they  are  bruised,  and  I 
would  advise  the  juice  to  be  strained  through  a 
flannel,  and  if  your  cask  is  strong  enough,  bung 
it  up  tight  immediately.  But  if  }ou  have  any 
fears  of  yoi;r  cask  bursting,  make  a  small  gimblet 


121 


hole  to  give  it  vent,  for  the  slower  ^he  fermenta- 
tion goes  on  the  better  the  Wine  will  be. 


An  extract  of  a  letter  from  John  Redman  Coxe, 
Esquire,  dated  Philadelphia^  March  5th,  1818. 
"  Having  some  fine  Grape  Vines  in  my  garden, 
"which  afforded  a  luxuriant  crop  of  Grapes  last 
fall,  I  was  led  to  ascertain,  with  a  few  of  the  re- 
maining bunches,  how  long  I  could  leave  them  on 
the  Vine,  notwithstanding  the  frosts  of  the  season. 
For  this  purpose,  I  selected  about  half  a  dozen 
bunches,  and  pulled  them  at  various  dates,  from 
the  early  part  of  October,  to  the  latter  part  of 
November.  They  continued  unaffected  by  the 
frosts  which,  during  that  time  took  place ;  the 
only  effect,  was  a  very  slight  shriveling,  and  which 
might  have  been  anticipated,  from  the  advanced 
season  of  the  year.  In  taste,  I  think  they  were 
equal,  if  not  superior  to  those  antecedently  gath- 
ered. 

"  But  an  extension  of  the  experiment  occurred  to 
me,  perhaps  of  more  utility  than  the  above,  and 
which  may  give  rise  to  the  preservation  of  this 
dehghtful  fruit  amongst  ourselves,  for  winter  use, 
as  we  preserve  apples  and  other  articles  of  horti- 
cultural and  agricultural  industry. 

"  On  the  2d  of  October,  I  carefully  cut  off  a  very 
11 


122 

ijue  bunch,  and  placed  it  in  au  earthen  jar,  cover 
ing  it  completely  with  dry  white  sand,  and  put  it 
away,  to  be  opened  on  Christmas  day.  On  the 
29th  of  the  same  month,  another  of  the  few  re- 
maining bunches  was  cut  oif,  and  put  away  in  a 
similar  manner,  and  was  intended  to  be  taken  out 
on  the  Ist  of  February.  On  Christmas  day,  about 
twelve  weeks  from  the  time  I  gathered  the  first 
bunch,  it  was  taken  out  of  the  jar  as  firm  and  fresh 
as  when  first  deposited.  The  other  was  forgotten 
until  the  22d  of  February,  when  it  was  found 
quite  as  sound  and  perfect  as  when  it  was  pulled ; 
from  its  having  hung  so  much  longer  than  the  first, 
it  was,  when  taken  from  the  Vine,  rather  shrivel- 
ed, but  this  had  not  increased,  from  its  long  con- 
finement of  nearly  three  months.  As  to  its  taste 
and  excellence,  it  was  equal  to  any  before  eaten, 
and  infinitely  superior  to  those,  which  at  so  much 
expense  and  trouble,  are  brought  to  us  from  Spain 
and  Portugal. 
^'  If  a  knowledge  of  these  facts  is  spread  through 
the  continent,  we  may  hope  that  a  few  experi- 
ments will  soon  determine  the  best  time  for  pull- 
ing them  to  the  most  advantage  for  preservation 
during  winter  ;  and  if  the  Vineyards  of  Vevay, 
&c.  which  are  so  celebrated,  can  aflbrd  a  supply 
for  our  winter's  use,  we  may  soon  have  a  new 
species   of  commercial    intercourse,^  which  will 


123 

prove  beneficial  to  the  cultivator,   and  preclude 
the  necessity  of  foreign  importation." 


The  manure  that  I  think  best,  is  the  virgin 
mould  from  the  woods,  mixed  with  rotten  dung 
and  a  small  portion  of  wood  ashes.  And  I  find 
the  Vines  facing  the  east  and  south  cast,  grow 
much  more  vigourcusly  than  in  any  other  ex- 
posure. 


**<  It  has  been  stated  that  two  millions  of  Arpents 
are  taken  up  in  the  cultivation  of  the  Vine,   in 

France,  producing,  one  year  with  another,  five 
hogsheads  of  sixty-three  gallont.  to  the  acre  j 
which,  at  the  moderate  price  of  fifty  francs,  or 
ten  dollars  the  hogshead,  gives  one  hundred  mil- 
lions of  dollars.  This  produce  is  immense  ;  and 
what  renders  it  still  more  valuable^  is,  that  it  does 
not  lessen  the  quantity  of  other  nfCfssary  produc- 
tions, such  as  reheat,  ^c.  for  where  the  Vine  gene- 
rally grojos  in  France,  nothing  else  zoill  grow 
such  is  the  poverty  of  the  soil  generally  employed 
for  Vines. 

*  The  French  expect  to  produce  five  hogsheads,  or  315  gallons, 
which  iscqualtoone  of  our  acres  produring  373  gallons. 


r!?4 


"  I  shall  conclude  these  hastj  observations  by 
an  extract  from  Rozier : 

'  The  Vine  is  a  plant  whose  transpiration  and 
suction  is  abundant  and  vehement^  lohich  suffi- 
ciently indicates  the  soil  and  epcposition  natural  to 
it*  For  this  reason,  grounds  composed  of  sand, 
gravel-stones,  and  rotten  rocks,  are  excellent  for 
its  cultivation, 

'  A  sandy  soil  produces  a  fine  pure  Wine.  The 
gravelly  and  stony  a  delicate  Wine.  Rotten  and 
broken  rocks,  a  fumy  generous  Wine,  of  a  superior 
quality* 

'  A  rich,  strong,  compact,  cold,  or  humid  soil, 
wliicbis  pressed  down  by  the  rains,  and  which  the 
sun  hardens  or  bakes,  is  essentially  prejudicial  to 
the  quality  of  the  Wine. 

'  The  most  advantageous  exposition  for  the 
Vine,  is  that  of  a  gentle  slope,  or  side  of  a  hill, 
facing  east  and  south,  on  which  the  rays  of  the 
s'in  continue  the  longest  tirae. 

'  Hills,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  ocean  and 
rivers  ought  to  be  preferred  to  all  others.  The 
lower  parts  of  these  hills  are  not  so  favourable  to 
the  Vine  as  the  upper,  and  neither  are  equal  to 
the  middle  region,  the  soil  being  the  same. 

'  All  trees  are  unfriendly  to  the  Vine,  as  much 
iVom  their  roots  as  their  shade..  All  who  cultivate 
ihe  Vine,  should  remember  this  precept  of  Virgil  t 
•  Apertos  Bacchus  amat  colics'* — ■'  The  Vine  flou- 
rishes in  the  open  unshaded  hills.' 


125 

On  the  Grape  Vine,  with  its  JVincs,  Brandt/,  Salt.". 
and  Dried  Fruits. 

The  following  copy  of  an  original  letter,  from 
an  observing  and  intelligent  young  American  tra- 
veller, will  present  us  with  an  interesting  opening 
of  the  subject  of  Spanish  Wines.  It  is  not  the 
worse  for  being  more  than  fifteen  years  old,  as 
authorities  should  exhibit  various  times  and  pla- 
ces, in  an  inquiry  which  proceeds  in  the  form  of 
an  induction  of  particulars.  The  writer  mentions 
those  Vine  countries  of  Europe  from  which  the 
North  American  Cohnuila  probably  obtained  its 
Vines,  Grapes,  Vine-dressers,  Distillers  of  Bran- 
dy, and  the  dryers  of  its  raisins. 


"  Cadiz,  'iAth  March,  1804. 

"  Knowing  that  any  information  respecting  the 
culture  of  the  Vine  will  be  acceptable  to  you,  I 
nnd  satisfaction  in  communicating  what  little  I 
have  been  able  to  collect  here. 

"  In  the  Vineyards  of  this  country  arc  cultiva- 
ted several  sort?  of  Grape,  such  as  are  called 
Palomino,  Pedro  Ximencz,  Perruno,  Canocaro, 
Bejeriego,  Muntcro,  Abbilln,  Alisantc,  Moscatel 
merudo,*  Moscatel,  gordo,t  and  several  other 
kinds  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  particularize. 
The  culture  of  them  all  is  the  same,   and  as  fol- 

*  Small,  t  Large. 

11* 


126 


iovrs  :— ^During  the  summer  months,  the  land  on 
which  you  intend  to  plant  the  Vines  is  dug,  by 
some  three-quarters,  by  others  one  yard,  and  by  a 
few  five-quarters.  In  the  month  of  January,  the 
plants  are  put  in  the  ground  in  two  ways,  either  by 
making  a  hole  with  an  iron-bar,  or,  with  a  spade, 
or'any  like  instrument.  When  the  plant  is  put  in- 
to the  ground,  care  must  be  taken  in  filling  up  the 
hole  to  tread  the  earth  well  about  it.  The  plants 
that  are  used  arc  young  branches  of  the  foregoing 
year,  which  are  taken  off  the  old  Vines  at  the 
time  of  pruning;  which  is  the  space  between 
gathering  the  Grape,  and  the  time  they  are  likely 
to  shoot.  The  year  after  the  Vine  is  planted, 
you  cut  the  stalk  to  a  certain  height,  which  ge- 
nerally is  done  so  that  only  five  or  six  buds  remain 
on  the  stock  above  ground.  You  thus  leave 
the  plant  until  it  shoots,  and  after  these  are  se- 
cured from  frosts,  and  other  accidents,  which  can 
destroy  some  of  them,  you  cut  off  all  the  shoots 
excepting  the  highest,  and  when  the  time  of  prun- 
ing comes,  you  prune  these  shoots,  leaving  each 
each  of  them  only  one  bud,  and  then  take  your 
choice  of  the  two  original  buds  that  have  shot  the 
year  before,  for  your  Vine  to  form  a  head.  If  the 
highest  is  the  best,  you  cut  off  the  whole  second  ; 
or  if  it  is  the  lowest  you  prefer,  cut  off  the  highest 
— and  by  that  means  leave  only  one.  You  must 
eserj  year  prune  your  Vine,  and  for  a  certain 


127 

number  of  years,  until  you  see  it  has  grown  strong 
and  healthy,  you  cut  off  the  new  branches,  each 
only  one  bud  from  the  stalk ;  and  if  any  of  these 
branches  have  shot  out  of  the  way,  so  as  to  be 
likely  to  spoil  the  head  of  your  Vine,  by  having 
shot  lower,  or  are  very  weak,  you  cut  them  off; 
or  if  two  together,  you  lop  off  the  feeblest,  that 
the  other  may  gain  more  strength. 

"  When  your  Vine  is  eight  or  ten  years  old,  and 
the  stalk  is  stout  and  strong,  every  year,  when 
pruning,  you  leave  one  of  the  best  shoots  of  the 
foregoing  year,  with  about  four  or  five  buds  ;  as 
the  vigour  and  substance  of  these  mature  stalks, 
are  better  able  to  nourish  these  members  than 
those  of  a  less  ripened  age.  The  same  sort  of 
Vine  gives  richer  or  poorer  Wine,  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  land  in  which  it  is  planted.  Wheat 
land  is  not  good  for  the  Vine.  The  best  is  a 
white  chalky  or  clay  land  ;  such  as  when  it  is  first 
dug  comes  out  in  large  pieces,  and  has  almost  the 
consistence  of  soft  stones.  The  next  is  red  clay,  and 
the  last,  and  worst,  is  the  saticli/.  After  you  prune 
you  must  dig  the  Vineyard,  leaving  a  large  square 
hole  to  each  Vine,  that  it  may  keep  the  rain. 
This  is  done  in  Spain,  on  account  of  its  being  more 
generally  dry  than  wet.  But  if  it  lies  on  a  low 
piece  of  ground  you  then  dig  it,  raising  the  earth 
in  rows  between  the  Vines,  parallel  to  one  an- 
other, that  the  rain  may  run  off  before  the  Vine 


128 

shoots.  Again,  you  dig  the  ground  and  leave  it 
even,  when  the  new  shoots  are  strong  enough  to 
bear  going  through  the  Vine  ground  without  tear- 
them  off,  you  give  it  another  digging,  but  shal- 
low ;  and  when  the  Grape  is  near  ripening,  you 
give  it  another  very  slight  digging.  (To  save 
labour,  the  plough,  harrow,  and  horse  hoe,  may 
be  used,  where  land  is  abundant.) 

"  When  your  Vine  shoots,  you  take  off  the  bud 
?hoots,  as  before  directed.  All  young  plants 
must  have  sticks  tied  to  them,  to  hinder  them 
from  growing  crooked.  The  long  branches  left 
on  the  Vine  must,  after  it  has  Grapes,  be  raised 
from  the  ground,  and  supported  with  sticks,  in 
order  both  to  be  able  to  dig  the  ground,  and  to 
prevent  the  Grapes  from  rotting,  from  the  mois- 
ture thereof.  Vines  very  often  shoot  from  the 
very  root.  These  'shoots  must  be  carefully  ta- 
ken away,  that  a  young  Vine  should  not  root  too 
near  the  surface,  which  would  expose  it  to  be 
parched  up  with  the  solar  rays,  and  to  have  the 
roots  cut  off  when  dug.  Care  must  be  taken  eve- 
ry year,  when  the  hole  is  made  about  them,  to 
shave  off  all  the  young  roots  it  may  have.  When 
any  of  the  Vines  decay,  it  must  be  replaced  by  a 
trancA  of  the  next  to  it,  which  is  done  by  leaving 
this  with  two  branches,  digging  a  trench  three- 
quarters  of  a  yard,  or  a  yard  deep,  from  one 
to  the  other,  then  burying  the  Vine  with  two 


•1^ 

branches,  carrying  one  to  the  place  of  the  de- 
cayed, and  leaving  the  other  in  the  place  of  the 
one  buried.  These  are  treated  in  every  respect 
as  young  Vines.  It  never  will  answer  to  set  a 
new  plant  amongst  o/J  Vines,  for  it  cannot  thrive. 
The  Vines  are  set  in  regular  rows,  similar  to  our 
corn  fields,  at  the  distance  of  one  yard  and  three 
quarters  apart. 

"  I  will  conclude  with  a  few  remarks  on  the 
process  of  the  juice  of  the  Grape, 

"  The  best  Grapes  for  making  Wine  are  Palo- 
'mino,  Pedro  Ximenes,  and  Perruno  ;  The  two  first 
are  generally  mixed  together  to  be  pressed,  but 
they  will  do  separately.  The  first  will  then  make 
a  very  dry  Wine,  and  the  second  a  sweet  Wine, 
called  '  Paharete.^  The  Perruno  is  always  pressed 
alone,  because  it  ripens  after  the  others  are  ga- 
thered. (This  Grape  will  probably  suit  the  most 
so'ithern  states  of  North  America.)  It  makes  a 
very  dry  Wine,  and  of  a  good  quality.  Many  peo- 
ple dislike  its  culture  on  account  of  its  ripening  so 
late  5  which  makes  the  vintage  liable  to  be  spoiled 
by  rains.  However,  if  the  rain  does  not  fall  very 
abundantly,  it  rather  does  good  than  harm.  (May 
not  irrigation  suit  the  Vine  ?)  At  the  time  of 
pressing,  some  chalk  is  thrown  over  the  Grapes. 
But  this  is  done  more  with  a  view  to  give  them  a 
kind  of  consistence,  that  they  may  adhere  better 
together  when  pressed,  than  from  any  idea  of  im- 


130 

proving  the  Wine.  Yet  I  am  not  sure  that  it  doea 
not,  in  some  degree,  tend  to  give  the  Wine  that 
dryness^  which  is  so  much  admired. 

In  Wine  o( young  Vines  you  put  about  1-1 5th 
of  boiled  yi'ice  of  Grape,  which  has  been  reduced 
to  one-fourth  its  primitive  quantity,  and  is  quite 
black,  thick,  and  sweet,  (resembling  molasses,)  in 
order  to  give  it  the  strength  and  richness  it  re- 
quires. If  you  choose,  or  should  perceive  in  your 
Wines  after  the  vinous  fermentation  is  over,  and 
the  ebullition  has  ceased,  any  weakness,  you  then 
apply  to  them  about  one-thirtieth  part  of  oil-proof 
Brandy.  Thus  you  will  give  them  a  body,  make 
them  full  the  sooner,  and  preserve  them  from  the 
power  of  the  warm  weather. 

"  In  addition  to  all  this  I  must  add,  that  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  keep  a  constant  watch  over 
them,  and  assist  them  with  more  Brandy  if  you  see 
that  they  stand  in  need  thereof.*^ 


The  mixture  of  different  kinds  of  Grapes, 
(the  sioeet,  or  highly  saccharine,  with  those  not 
Bweet,)  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  letter,  is  wor- 
thy of  consideration.  The  proportions  may  re- 
quire experience  and  judgment.  The  evapora- 
tion of  the  watery  parts  of  the  fresh  juice,  by 
the  application  of  the  proper  degree  of  heat,  6e- 
fore  fermentation,  is  also  well  worthy  of  notice. 
In  the  course  of  long  and  studious  inquiries  into 


the  causes  of  the  fine  full  body  of  the  best  Wine  of 
Xeres,  Sherry,  famous  since  the  days  of  Falstaff, 
this  mode  of  preparing  that  Spanish  Andalueian 
Wine,  has  been  brought  into  view,  from  various 
authorities.     There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact. 


FROM  T.  COXE,  ESQ. 

On  the  Cultivatio7i  of  the  Vine,  the  Fabrication  of 
WineSf  Brandies,  Rectified  Spirits  of  Wine,  Cre- 
Tnor  Tartar,  and  Dried  Fruits,  and  Fresh  Grapes j 
for  Food  and  Diet. 

Itis  certain  that  the  culture  of  the  Vine  and 
the  fabrication  of  Wines,  is  compatible  with  everj 
industrious  and  successful  prosecution  of  Agricul- 
ture for  general  purposes.  It  has  been  consider- 
ed in  Europe,  that  no  country  more  abounded  ia 
the  necessaries  for  human  comfort  and  subsistence, 
than  the  dominions  of  the  Emperor  of  German/, 
in  1794,  or  Austria,  Hungary,  Bohemia,  and  Lom- 
bardy.  Yet  these  were  all  profitable  Wine  countries. 
So  of  Switzerland,  where  grass  lands,  irrigated, 
have  been  sold  at  one  thousand  dollars  per  acre. 
So  of  Piedmont.  So  of  France,  in  which  Wine 
and  Brandy  are  made,  in  all  its  old  provinces,  ex- 
cept Artois,  Picardy,  Normandy,  and  the  middle 
and  northern  parts  of  the  two  provinces  of  Bre- 
tagne  and  Maine.  In  those  north-west  provinces, 
the  Grape,  unfit  for  Wines,  is  elegant  and  fine  f^r 


132 

sustenance  and  for  diet.  In  the  other  twenty-tive  o^ 
the  ancient  provinces,  the  Vine  and  the  fabrication 
of  Wines  generally  prevail,  occupying  grounds  of 
the  extent  of  less  than  half  of  New  Jersey,  yield- 
ing a  gross  yearly  income,  of  one  hundred  millions 
of  dollars.  Yet  wool,  iron,  silk,  and  flax,  bread 
and  meat,  builders'  and  improvers',  and  manufac- 
turers' wages  are  lower  in  France  than  in  the 
United  States.  The  Vine  cultivation  is  then 
perfectly  compatible  with  a  good  general  system 
of  national  industry.  The  north  of- Germany, 
Silesia,  Sweden,  Denmark,  England  and  the  Ne- 
therlands, only  retrain  from  the  Vine,  because 
they  are  too  far  north.  So  the  northern  British 
provinces  of  America  will  nevercope  with  us  in  our 
Vineyards,  more  than  in  our  sugar,  cotton,  riccj 
tobacco,  and  indigo  plantations.  Since  all  Vines* 
were  once  wild,  like  all  men  and  other  animals,  it 
must  be  presumed,  that  it  is  our  interest  to  culti- 
vate all  our  wild  Grape  Vines.  The  wood  or 
natural  meadow  sirawherry,  cultivated,  in  bunches 
so  as  to  hoe  between  the  rows,  is  improved  strik- 
ingly in  a  year  or  two.  So  of  the  red  Currant. 
Rich,  full  coloured  green  or  black  Grapes,  of  the 
largest  and  ripest,  picked  from  the  bunch,  must 
aflbrd  the  best  means  of  propagating  bt/  seed.  In 
Scotland,  the  red  and  white  Currant,  thus  propa- 
gated, has  been  trebled  in  goodness,  beauty,  and 
size,  for  Currant  Wine.      ,v    -'<•«,%.'.,; 


133 

The  Grape  has  been  manifestly  intended  by 
Divine  Providence,  as  a  food  and  a  diet  for  the 
inhabitants  of  warm  climates,  and  for  more  nor- 
thern people  in  the  hot  season.  So  of  its  excel- 
lent Vinegar,  Salt  or  Tartar,  and  dried  fruit.  The 
French  and  Spaniards  keep  their  fresh  Grapes  as 
we  keep  Apples  ;  and  we  constantly  import  fresh 
or  undried  European  Grapes  into  all  our  seaports, 
where  they  are  sold  for  40,  50,  and  60  cents  per 
pound.  They  might  be  sent  from  the  Southern 
States  to  those  of  the  Chesapeake,  like  their  sweet 
and  sour  Oranges. 


Extracts  from  Essays  said  to  be  written  by  Tench 
Coxe,  Esqr,  on  the  Cultivation  of  the  Grape  Vine, 
4^c,  to  which  I  will  add  some  observations  of  my 
own. 

Extract  from  No.  1  .* — '*  The  present  duties  on 
foreign  distilled  Spirits  and  liquors,  (Brandy,  Gin, 
Rum,  Arrack,  Wines,  &c.)  and  on  dried  fruits, 
though  laid  for  revenue,  afford  a  great  and  sure 
encouragement  to  the  establishment  and  manufac-' 
ture  of  the  Grape.  The  demand  will  increase 
with  our  population,  and  the  facility  and  certain- 

*  I  find  the  Grapes  growing  on  the  top  of  the  hill  ripen  mote 
equally  sooner,  and  better,  that  on  the  side  of  a  steep  hill.     But 
where  there  is  a  slope,  a  south-east  exposure  appears  to  me  tt 
be  best ;  but  all  exposures  from  east  to  south  are  good. 
12 


134 

ty  of  the  culture  of  the  crop,  will  grow  with  the 
clearing  and  draining  of  our  country.  Ridges, 
hills,  mountains,  rocky  lands,  and  steep  ground, 
gravelly,  stony,  sandy,  and  other  inferior  lands, 
(if  only  dry,)  will  yield  profit  in  large  crops,  or  in 
fine  qualities  of  Wine,  or  both  ;  fresh  and  dried 
Gi:apes  are  both  favourable  to  health  and  frugal- 
ity. Ripe  Grapes  have  been  administered  to 
whole  regiments  of  troops  in  France,  who  have 
been  ravaged  by  dysenteries  and  fluxes.*  The 
quantity  of  Wine  computed  to  be  produced  in 
France  is  ten  millions  of  casks,  of  nearly  63  gal- 
lons each,  on  two  millions  of  arpents,!  (not  two  mil- 
lions of  acres,)  of  land,  often  not  fit  for  wheat, 
rice,  or  tobacco,  valued  very  low,  on  a  medium 
of  fifty  francs  the  cask  or  French  hogshead.  This 
is  three  times  the  value  of  the  cotton  crop  of  the 
United  States,  on  a  medium  value,  produced  in 
1818  or  in  1819. 

"  It  has  been  already  observed,  that  ridges  and 
hills  are  the  most  suitable  shape  or  form  of  coun- 
try for  Vineyards ;  the  most  proper  exposure  is 
from  south-east  to  south.  It  is  believed  that  all 
southern  exposures  will  do.  The  propagation  may 
be  by  seeds  or  by  cuttings,  (Of  by  bending  and  co- 

*  Doctor  Tissott's  Advice  to  the  people  of  L9.tisanne. 

tThe  French  measure  their  lands  by  arpents,  which  are  not 
EG  large  as  our  acres ;  2,000,000  of  arpents  are  about  168,7,500 
or  our  acres. 


135 

vering  a  part  of  an  old  vine,  so  as  to  make  it  grow 
out  in  another  place  at  a  proper  distance.  The 
plough  is  of  much  use  in  the  cultivation,  so  that 
care  must  be  taken  to  plant  the  vines  at  such  dis- 
tance as  to  facilitate  the  use  of  the  plough  and  the 
harrow.  The  best  Grapes  which  can  be  obtained 
should  be  used,  in  order  to  put  the  culture  for- 
ward. These  may  be  foreign  or  American,  na- 
tive or  imported.  A  harsh  Grape  to  the  taste  may 
produce  a  better  Wine  than  was  expected,  and 
more  and  better  brandy.  The  finest  Grapes  of 
Europe  and  the  African  Isles  are  supposed  to 
have  been  native  wildings  improved  by  culture 
and  selection."  "  We  pay  annually  ioforeignna- 
tions  a  sum  of  money  for  Wines,  Spirits,  «nrf  ma- 
terials for  making  Spirits,  and  for  fresh  and  dried 
Grapes,  as  great  as  our  whole  specie  medium,''"' 


It  is  unnecessary  to  seek  for  more  temperate 
latitudes  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Vine.  The  way 
is  to  drop  most  kinds  of  foreign  Vines  at  once, 
(except  a  few  for  the  table,)  and  seek  for  the  best 
kinds  of  our  largest  native  Grapes,  and  if  proper- 
ly managed  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  that  we  can 
make  as  much  Wine,  if  not  more,  than  any  part  of 
the  world,  on  the  same  space  of  ground,  as  far  north 
rrs  the  ASiVdegree,  if  not  further  north,  and  of  good 


136 

quality.  I  have  eaten  good  Grapes  at  Presque  Islf, 
on  Lake  Erie,  which  is  above  the  42d  degree  and 
the  French  officers  were  in  the  habit  of  making 
Wine  of  them  annually,  while  they  had  a  garrison 
at  that  place. 

If  any  person  will  be  at  the  trouble  of  looking 
over  A.  Young,  Esqr's.  Travels  through  France, 
he  will  find  that  all  kinds  of  soil,  from  a  heavy 
clay  to  a  blowing  sand,  and  all  exposures  from 
north  to  south,  and  from  a  dead  level  to  the 
steepest  hills  produce  profitable  crops  of  Grapes  ; 
for  where  the  Wine  is  not  fit  for  a  pleasant  bever- 
age, it  is  distilled  and  turned  into  Brandy. 


Extract  from  No.  7.* — "  Further  enquiry  con- 
cerning  the  Vineyard  near  Harmony,  in  Butler 
County,  Pennsylvania,  about  twenty-five  miles 
westward  of  Pittsburg,  justify  the  remark  that 
the  experiment  has  succeeded  even  so  far  north 
as  that  place,  in  40  degrees  and  40  minutes." 


As  it  may  be  expected,  that  1  should  say  some- 
thing about  a  Vigneron,  k.c.   I  would  barely  re- 

*  There  can  be  no  question,  but  that  good  Wines  may  be 
made  as  far  north  as  our  large  wild  Grapes  ripen,  with  proper 
t-ultivation  and  good  management.  J«  A. 


f37 

eotnniend  to  every  gentleman,  to  be  principal 
Vigneron  himself,  and  to  choose  or  select  a  clear 
headed,  handy,  intelligent  labourer,  and  one  that 
will  do  as  he  is  bid.  And  as  1  have  recommend- 
ed grafting,  I  will  insert  what  Cobbett,  says  on 
that  subject.  See  No.  48,  Vol.  4,  page  377,  of  the 
American  Farmer. 

"  Grafting  is  the  joining  of  a  cutting  of  one  to 
another  tree,  in  such  a  way  as  that  the  tree,  on 
which  the  cutting  is  placed,  sends  up  its  sap  into 
the  cutting,  and  makes  it  grow  and  become  a  tree. 
Now,  as  to  the  way,  in  which  this,  and  the  way  in 
which  budding  is  dotie,  they  cannot,  upon  any 
principle  consistent  with  common  sense,  become 
matter  of  written  description.  Each  is  a  me- 
chanical operation,  embracing  numerous  move- 
ments of  the  arms,  &ic.  and  is  no  more  to  be 
taught  by  written  directions  than  the  making  of  a 
chest  of  drawers  is.  To  read  a  full  and  minute 
accouiil  of  the  acl  of  budding  and  grafting,  would 
require  ten  times  the  space  of  time,  that  it  re- 
quires to  go  to  a  neighbour  and  l6arn,  from  a 
sight  of  the  operations,  that  which,  after  all,  no 
written  directions  would  ever  teach." 

"  The  season  for  taking  off  the  cuttings  for 
grafts  is  any  time  between  Christmas  and  March. 
Any  time  after  the  sap  is  completely  in  a  quies- 
cent state,  and  before  it  be  again  in  motion.  When 
cut  off  they  will  keep  several  months,''^ 
12* 


138 

"  A  great  deal  has  been  said  about  the  season 
for  grafting  f  and  Mr.  Marshall  tells  the  English, 
that  it  must  not  be  done  until  the  sap  in  the  stock 
is  just  ready  tofiow  freely »  He  had  never  seen 
an  American  negro  man,  sitting  by  a  hot  six  plat- 
ed stove,  grafting  apple  trees  in  the  month  of 
January,  and  then  putting  them  away  in  his  cave, 
to  be  brought  out  and  planted  in  April.  I  have 
seen  this,  and  my  opinion  is,  that  the  work  may 
be  done  at  any  time  between  October  and  May  ; 
nay,  I  am  not  sure,  that  it  may  not  be  done  all 
summer  long.*  The  cuttings,  too,  may  be  taken 
off,  and  put  on  directly,  and  the  sooner  the  bet- 
ter y  but  in  the  winter  months,  they  will  keep 
20od,  oil' the  tree  for  several  monlhs." 

The  cuttings  of  Grape  Vines  will  also  keep 
<rood,  from  November  until  the  month  of  Mav. 

*  I  have  taken  cuttings  off  Pear  trees  iu  blossom  and  carried 
them  three  soilos  and  then  ingrafted  them,  and  they  all  took  and 
;rew.  *•  ^' 


A  CATALOGUE  OF  GRAPES 
in 

THE  VINEYARD  OF  JOHN  ADLUM» 

JS^ar  Georgeto(ii7i,  D.  C, 


No,  1.  Hulm^s  Orjvigsburgh  Grape,  said  to  be 
a  very  fine  white  Grape  ;  they  have  not  yet  pro- 
duced fruit  with  me. 

No,  2,  Bland^s  Madeira  ;  In  some  places  it  is  of 
an  amber  colour,  and  in  others  a  pale  red,  with 
me  they  are  a  purple  with  a  bloom  on  them.  It 
is  a  great  bearer,  and  a  good  Grape  for  the  table, 
and  makes  a  very  fine  Wine  :  the  juice  is  sweet 
and  vineous. 

No,  3.  CliflorCs  Constantia,  This  is  a  deep 
purple  approaching  to  black  ;  it  is  recommended 
by  some  for  the  table  ;  it  has  a  pulp  in  it,  is  a 
great  bearer,  and  makes  a  good  Wine.  It  is  said 
to  be  brought  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

No.  4.  Tokay.  Where  I  got  cuttings  of  this 
Grape,  they  were  of  a  beautiful  lilack  colour,  and 
a  delicate  taste  for  the  table;  with  me  they  are 
much  higher  coloured  tha»  they  were  at  the  pla- 
ces I  got  them  from,  and  have  somewhat  of  a 
musky  taste,  tolerable  for  the  table.  I'hey  are 
very  great  bearers,  and  make  an  excellent  Wine. 


140 

Ab.  5.  Schuylkill  Muscadcl.  These  Grapes 
were  found  originally  near  Philadelphia,  and  the 
Schuylkill  River ;  and  were  introduced  into  Mr. 
Penn's  garden  when  he  was  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania before  the  Revolution.  They  are  a  variety 
of  the  Fox-Grape,  have  a  pulp  which  dissolves 
in  the  fermentation,  and  they  nnake  an  excellent 
Wine. 

JVb.  6.  IVorthington  Grape,  This  is  somewhat 
smaller  than  the  Fox-Grape,  is  a  very  great  bearer 
has  a  very  high  coloured  red  juice ;  I  have  not 
had  enough  of  them  yet  to  make  Wine  separately, 
but  have  mixed  them  with  others,  and  I  believe 
they  will  add  to  the  flavour  of  Wine  and  give  a 
good  colour. 

Ab.  7  4/-  8.  Names  unknown  ;  brought  from 
Muney,  Lycoming  County,  Pennsylvania.  I  haye 
been  told  they  are  very  fine  white  and  black 
Grapes,  but  have  not  yet  produced  fruit  with  me. 

JV*o.  9.  Carolina  Purple  jytuscadine.  I  am  as 
yet  ignorrant  of  the  fruit  it  bears. 

JVb.  10.  Red  Juice.  It  has  not  yet  produced 
fruit  with  me  ;  but  I  was  informed  it  would  make 
a  Wine  similar  to  Claret. 

A'b.  11.  A  Grape  from  North-Carolina,  sent  me 
by  an  unknown  Gentleman.  It  has  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Bland  Madeira,  but  is  rather  more 
tender :  it  is  a  very  sweet  Grape  with  a  fine  vine- 
ous  juice. 


HI 


No.  1 2.  An  uncommonly  large  Fox-Grape,  from 
the  neighbourhood  of  Elkton,  Maryland  ;  it  has  a 
very  musky  smell,  and  is  full  of  a  beautiful  red 
juice.  I  have  not  yet  had  enough  of  them  to  make 
Wine. 

J^o.  13.  I  got  this  for  the  true  Madeira  Grape, 
the  Vines  grow  luxuriantly,  and  appear  to  be  har- 
dy. The  Grapes  grow  on  long  bunches,  are  of  a 
purple  colour,  and  are  not  a  good  Grape  for  the 
table  ;  they  do  not  bear  or  ripen  well  with  me, 
but  I  expect  they  would  do  much  better  to  the 
southward. 

J>fo.  14.  Malmsey f  a  very  fine  white  Grape, 
suitable  for  eating. 

J\fo,  15,  Purple  Frontinac,  This  is  a  very  high 
flavoured  Grape,  but  does  not  bear  well  with  me  ; 
but  expect  they  would  do  much  better  further 
south.  « 

Ao.  IG.  Royal  Muscadine.  This  appears  to  me 
to  be  much  like  the  Malmsey,  a  very  fine  white 
Grape. 

Ao.  1 7.  Black  Hamburgh.  Has  not  yet  pro- 
duced fruit  with  me. 

Ao.  18.  Black  Cluster.  Has  not  yet  produced 
fruit  with  me. 

Ab.  19.  Syrian.  Has  not  yet  produced  fruit 
with  me. 

Ao.  20.  Clapiers.  Has  not  yet  produced  fruit 
with  me  ;  is  said  to  be  a  very  fine  white  Grape, 
with  bunches  that  weigh  a  pound. 


142 

J^o.  21.  Miller  Burgundy,  or,  Munier.  A  small 
black  Grape  with  oval  berries,  which  grow  very 
thick  on  the  bunch,  with  a  sweet  pleasant  juice ; 
very  good  for  the  table,  and  they  nnake  a  good 
Wine. 

J>lo,  22.  White  Sweet  Water,  It  is  a  large 
white  Grape,  they  are  very  sweet ;  when  perfect- 
ly ripe,  they  are  of  a  russet  colour,  and  it  is  one 
of  the  best  Grapes  for  the  table, 

I  have  several  other  kinds  of  Grapes,  which 
have  not  yet  produced  fruit,  and  as  the  labels 
were  lost  before  I  had  an  opportunity  of  marking 
them  properly,  I  do  not  know  how  to  name  them. 

As  I  find  a  demand  for  Grapes  increasing,  I  in- 
tend to  get  every  variety  of  good  Grapes  I  cao 
procure  in  this  and  other  countries,  to  suit  the 
States  north  and  south  of  this. 


DAVIS  AWD  FORCE,  PRINT. 


